Common Safety Hazards in Warehouses
Houston is home to one of the largest concentrations of warehouses in the country, including sprawling distribution centers, shipping hubs, and industrial storage facilities that power the Texas economy. With more than 1 billion square feet of warehouse space across the state, these massive operations are the backbone of retail, oil and gas, and manufacturing supply chains. Warehouses and their workers handle storage, inventory, order fulfillment, light assembly, breaking bulk, packaging, price marking, and more. Most industries could not function without warehouses.
But behind the efficiency lies real danger, often in the form of:
- Slip & Fall Accidents: Slipping, tripping, and falling are serious concerns for warehouse workers, particularly if they are carrying a heavy load. Packaging, roping, or other materials can pose dangers to workers if left on the floor, and wet surfaces are easy to slip on. A fall on a hard warehouse floor can mean broken bones, muscle injuries, and a host of other damages that could keep a worker out of commission for weeks or maybe even permanently.
- Falls from Heights : Another common warehouse hazard is falling from a height. Whether it is an elevated loading dock or a ladder reaching high shelves, warehouse workers at heights are at risk of falling and suffering serious injuries if employers do not implement general safety measures and provide proper fall protection, which is required at four feet or above in general industry workplaces per OSHA standards.
- Warehouse Fires: Because of the type and amount of materials in many warehouses, they can be particularly susceptible to fires. Some of the potential risks are exposed wires, flammable fluids and gases, electrical and lighting systems, automated storage-retrieval systems, heating equipment, and trash or rubbish. Warehouse owners and operators must ensure these risks are mitigated to protect workers and inventory alike.
- Crushed by Object/Machine: On average, two warehouse workers are killed every month in accidents involving being crushed by an object or heavy machinery. This may include storage equipment like shelving, racks, and bins, as well as inventory itself. Machinery and equipment can also pose risks, like forklifts and conveyors. Workers must be trained on how to use warehouse equipment, and any objects that could potentially fall must be secured.
- Heavy Lifting: Handling heavy loads on a frequent basis puts strain on the muscles and bones of workers, particularly in the lower back. The vast majority of warehouse workers develop some type of back problem after working for a few years. Chronic pain, difficulty walking, and nerve damage can lead to challenges when performing everyday tasks and an increasing physical strain for workers who continue to lift heavy objects.
Warehouse Forklift Accidents
Forklifts, formally known as powered industrial trucks or lift trucks, are necessary to move large and heavy loads through warehouses, to and from delivery trucks, and across distances. These small but powerful machines can pose a significant danger when not operated properly, however. Forklifts were involved in 67 workplace deaths in 2023 and nearly 25,000 injuries that were serious enough to result in days away from work, job restrictions, or transfers.
Common examples of warehouse forklift accidents include:
- Employees or pedestrians being hit by forklifts
- Forklifts elevating people, who then fall or are dropped
- Forklifts tipping over
- The load falling off the forklift and injuring another worker
When workers are injured or worse, they and their families can turn to Arnold & Itkin's Houston warehouse accident lawyers for answers.
Common Warehouse Accident Injuries
Warehouse workers provide a valuable service to businesses across the country through stocking, labeling, shipping, and storing a wide variety of products. Unfortunately, this labor-heavy job comes with a high risk of injuries for its workers.
Warehouse employees may experience work injuries such as:
Many of the tragic accidents in warehouses in Houston and across the country can be avoided through diligent safety procedures. Training employees in safe practices for machinery and lifting can reduce risks and minimize damage, and equipment such as hard hats and gloves can further protect workers in the event that an accident should occur. Poorly trained forklift operators, inadequate equipment maintenance, hasty operation, poorly stacked pallets, and overweight loads can all contribute to warehouse accidents, the consequences of which fall on workers' shoulders.
We represent warehouse workers in Houston, across Texas, and nationwide who were hurt because companies failed to do the one thing that matters most: keep them safe.
Employers Have a Responsibility to Minimize Warehouse Hazards
Employers have a responsibility to make the workplace as safe as possible for their employees. Part of that responsibility includes minimizing hazards as well as reasonably possible. If you have been injured in a warehouse accident, your employer may be liable for your injuries if necessary precautions were not taken to prevent the accident from happening. At Arnold & Itkin, we offer free consultations to warehouse workers who were injured on the job. Our attorneys can review the facts of your case and inform you of your legal rights. Let us fight for the best possible results after an injury.
Contact our warehouse accident attorneys to learn your options for financial and legal recovery: (888) 493-1629!
