Strains, sprains, and tears are silent disasters in your warehouse.
Musculoskeletal disorders are a threat in any business, but warehouse workers are at the highest risk. These injuries account for 30 to 40% of all work-related primary care visits, making them the leading cause of lost workdays. On average, workers lose 10 workdays per injury. Your staff doesn't want to be injured, and you don't want them to miss shifts.
Enter the power of ergonomics.
Simple changes to working conditions and techniques improve ergonomics. This improvement radically drops the rates of musculoskeletal injuries at the job site. In turn, you end up with happier, healthier workers and fewer missed shifts.
Read on to learn how ergonomics protects your team and what simple changes you can make to improve ergonomics in your warehouse.
Ergonomics is about more than sitting posture and arm reach.
It is the study of fitting the job to the worker rather than forcing the worker's body to fit the job. Using proper lifting techniques, adjusting tasks, utilizing lifting equipment, and optimizing workstations are all essential components of this process. Used thoughtfully, they each reduce the strain on a worker's body and can even eliminate many disabling work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
MSDs are a pervasive category of injury.
Moreover, warehouse workers are especially susceptible. The warehousing industry has the highest serious injury rate for MSDs, with an estimated rate of 3.8 cases per 100 workers. Forklift operators have even higher rates, with 49% experiencing neck injuries and 63% experiencing shoulder injuries. Ultimately, MSDs cost American companies nearly 350,000 lost workdays and almost 360,000 days of restricted or temporary duty.
Fortunately, ergonomics has the potential to reduce these numbers significantly.
Good warehouse ergonomics starts with proper lifting techniques.
Such lifting and carrying techniques prevent the kinds of movements that are most likely to cause injury.
However, proper lifting techniques aren’t the only thing you can do to maximize MSD protection in your facility. MSDs can occur from multiple sources that workers encounter every single day. To fully protect your staff and prevent lost time, you can make several other adjustments.
Here are five easy modifications that dramatically improve worker safety.
Ever miss a step and fall on the stairs?
It hurts and might leave you with a nasty bruise or even a limp. Yet, we don’t often worry about it because it’s not a common experience for most of us. On the other hand, forklift drivers are at constant risk of this injury as they must frequently mount and dismount to complete their tasks. They risk a fall every time they step into or out of a forklift.
Lowering the step-in height helps mitigate this hazard.
Where possible, choose forklifts and other ride-on machines with low step-in heights. This limits the distance a worker can fall if they miss a step, potentially reducing the severity of the injury.
The worker may still stumble, but that’s better than a fall.
Less effort leads to less risk of strain and injury.
These simple additions allow your team to work more efficiently while also protecting them from MSDs.
Forklift operators are at high risk for musculoskeletal disorders, and a poorly designed machine only makes it worse.
Start by choosing forklifts with adjustable seats that offer lumbar support. Then reduce whole-body vibration by maintaining tire pressure and choosing equipment built to absorb shock. Prioritize models with intuitive, easy-to-reach controls and cabins that tilt for high lifts to reduce neck strain.
These improvements make long shifts more bearable and reduce chronic strain that leads to missed workdays.
Check out: Ergonomic Forklift Features That Help Reduce Common Operator Injuries
Adjustable height tables are one of the easiest solutions to implement.
Adjustable height tables include lift tables, hydraulic tables, and scissor lift tables. These allow workers to keep tasks within their individual power zones. By working within this specific range, team members are less likely to make movements that put extra stress on the musculoskeletal system. This keeps your staff happy and healthier throughout their shifts.
Better still, adjustable height tables are a relatively inexpensive option.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the old saying goes.
Most MSDs don't start as severe injuries. Consequently, many workers try to shrug them off, not wanting to be viewed as complainers. However, early treatment is better when it comes to MSDs. Less severe injuries heal faster, minimizing lost time. Untreated MSDs only worsen with time, leading to serious damage to the body.
Remember, it's always better to put a worker on light duty for a day or two than have them miss a week or more.
With over 70 years of experience helping clients just like you, we’ve seen it all.
Poor ergonomics are common in many warehouses. In fact, they are so common that they go unnoticed and are treated as a normal part of daily operations. Yet, these hidden dangers put your operation at significant risk.
That’s where we can help.
Our expert solutions team has the training to help you find all the hidden places where poor ergonomics linger in your facility. We’ll help you identify and rectify ergonomic challenges throughout your warehouse. With our assistance, you can protect your staff, improve productivity, and prevent costly OSHA fines.
To learn more about improving ergonomics in your warehouse, contact us online or visit one of our locations throughout Georgia and Florida.
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Further Reading
Is Your Pallet Jack Putting Your Staff at Risk?
Ergonomic Forklift Features That Help Reduce Common Operator Injuries
Why Do Safety Directors Love Walkie Stackers?