Tips to Stay Safe While Working in a Warehouse

1. Always Wear Safety Equipment: Hard hats, back braces, and eye protection can all save you from a painful injury. You were given protective equipment for a reason, so make sure to always have it on while moving around your workplace, even if you think it’s unnecessary. You’d much rather be safe and thanking your safety equipment than in pain wishing you had worn it. 
2. Be Aware of Your Surroundings: It’s easy to zone out or not pay attention while on the job, but when you work in a fast-paced environment with an increased risk of injury, it’s best to stay focused on your surroundings. You should treat hallways and aisles as you would a busy street, and also remove any stray debris or trash that could cause problems for those walking in the area. Additionally, be careful when sitting or leaning against stacked objects, as your weight could shift the materials and leave you with a serious injury.
3. Never Operate Machinery You’re Not Trained to Use: Workers who operate machinery often have to take training courses before they’re allowed to start working with the equipment. While you might believe that you can use the equipment safely without training, there are likely small nuances that go into operating the machine that will prevent you from using it properly. It’s best to avoid the equipment entirely unless you’re licensed to use it.
4. Use Caution When Lifting Heavy Objects: The #1 cause of workplace injuries is overexertion due to lifting, holding, or throwing heavy objects. In most cases, this activity causes back and neck issues, which can be seriously painful in any degree. If your job requires you to lift or move heavy objects, you should wear a weight belt at all times to protect your wellbeing.
5. Understand Weight Limits and Restrictions: While it might seem appealing to stack many heavy objects on a lifting mechanism to finish your tasks faster, overloading any equipment can potentially cause the machine to fail. Machinery failure puts everyone in the immediate area at risk of injury, so it’s best to follow weight restriction guidelines when performing your daily tasks. 
6. Avoid Baggy/Loose Fitting Clothing While at Work: Long sleeves, loose-fitting shirts or pants, and other baggy clothing can become caught in machinery and injure warehouse workers. It’s best to only wear employer-approved clothing or uniforms to keep yourself safe from harm.
7. Understand Emergency Exit and First-Aid Locations: Knowing where first-aid equipment and emergency exits are located can be very helpful in the event of an emergency. Time is of the essence in crisis situations, and you can save yourself and others by staying prepared. 
8. Immediately Report Any Safety Hazards to Your Supervisor: Although you can clean up some safety hazards yourself, there could be much larger hazards that you notice in your workplace. If you do notice any potential hazards, you should report them to your employer so they fix the situation and document the potential hazard.

While the previously mentioned tips will help you stay safe in your workplace, accidents happen, and you can still find yourself injured and unable to return to work. An on-the-job injury can happen to anyone, regardless of how cautious they are. At Morgan & Morgan, we understand that accidents are more than just the initial injury, as emotional damage and financial strain can make the situation much more complicated. When you’re injured, you need an experienced lawyer. Our workers’ compensation attorneys have a proven track record of recovering the full extent of damages in cases just like yours, and they’re eager to help you overcome your legal challenge. Complete a free, no-obligation case evaluation today to get started.