Why is Warehousing Work So Dangerous?
Warehousing work has always been dangerous, but more workers have been getting hurt on the job in warehousing in recent years. According to a report from the US Department of Labor and the Office of Inspector General (OIG), injuries and illnesses rose among warehouse workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, but even as the severity of illness risk has receded since the start of the pandemic, warehouse workers continue to sustain severe injuries on the job. As that report suggests, one of the reasons that warehouse hazards have gone unchecked is that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has not conducted sufficient safety reviews at warehouses, and the total number of warehouse inspections has actually decreased in recent years. Further, more warehouse workers have been needed to fill roles for quickly growing online retailers.
The upshot is that many warehouse workers in Maryland who are injured while performing their jobs may be eligible to obtain workers’ compensation. Our experienced Maryland workers’ compensation lawyers can explain more about seeking benefits in the aftermath of a workplace injury, but first, we want to provide you with more information about the hazards of warehousing jobs.
Many Reasons for Increased Injury Risks in Warehousing Jobs
In general, warehousing is a field that comes with a wide range of injury risks due to the job duties, from moving loads of goods to working with heavy machinery. Since warehouses became common for retailers and suppliers, warehouse workers have been subject to various types of injuries. By the twenty-first century, many of those original injury risks had been addressed, but some had not, and others have since arisen.
According to a recent article in Forbes, warehouses and distribution centers are often places of worker injuries due to the “reliance upon heavy-duty industrial equipment to haul loads combined with a hectic, unrelenting pace — exacerbated by a dearth of well-trained workers.” In addition, the article suggests, warehouses deal with overcrowding and not enough space for employees to perform tasks that are already hazardous in a sufficient amount of space. Once you add in the information from the OIG report, it seems as though a lack of safety inspections are also allowing employers and warehouse or retail owners to avoid attending to urgent safety concerns.
Common Types of Injuries Among Warehouse Workers
Warehouses only account for a very small portion of worksites in the United States, but they account for more than double the average injury rate among all workers in the country, according to the OIG report. What types of injuries are most common? The Forbes article cites some of the following as injuries frequently resulting in missed workdays and the need for medical attention:
- Struck-by and run-over injuries involving forklifts and pallet movers;
- Exposure to hazardous chemicals;
- Ergonomic-related injuries;
- Musculoskeletal disorders, including overexertion injuries caused by lifting;
- Falls from heights, as well as slips, trips, and falls; and
- Encounters with defective robotics tools.
Contact Our Maryland Warehouse Worker Injury Lawyers
What can you do if you were injured while working at a warehouse? It is essential to report your injury to your employer as soon as possible and then seek advice from an experienced Maryland warehouse employee injury attorney at the Law Offices of Steinhardt, Siskind and Lieberman, LLC. We can assess your case to determine whether it meets the requirements under Maryland law to be a compensable injury, and we can then help you to file a workers’ compensation claim in order to seek compensation. Contact us today for assistance.
Sources:
forbes.com/sites/richblake1/2023/11/22/warehouses-can-be-dangerous-places-to-work-do-robots-help-or-hurt/?sh=797ecb7c347f
oig.dol.gov/public/reports/oa/2023/19-23-013-10-105.pdf
