Why Warehousing is Among the Most Dangerous Work in Maryland
Warehousing is among the most dangerous work in Maryland and throughout the country, but most of the hazards are also avoidable with proper protections, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Yet much too often, workplaces do not have the most appropriate safety measures in place or do not provide the types of training that are necessary to prevent injuries, and warehouse workers get hurt on the job. Why is warehousing such a dangerous industry for a Maryland resident to work in? In short, there are a wide range of hazards that exist in this type of work, from the possibility of traumatic and debilitating accidents associated with heavy machinery to overuse and repetitive motion injuries that can disable warehousing workers.
Our Maryland warehouse employee injury lawyers can tell you more about some of the common risks and injuries, and our firm can help you with your workers’ compensation claim if you were injured in your warehousing job.
Range of Hazards in Warehousing Work
Warehouse workers are responsible for receiving, processing, and preparing goods for shipping. While that might not sound like particularly dangerous work on the surface, warehouse workers typically work for large companies that handle merchandise and goods for nationwide orders that must be received on a regular basis, stored in a warehouse, organized and managed, packed for shipping, and retrieved for collection. This type of work requires the routine use of heavy equipment such as forklifts and loaders, encounters with materials stacked at multiple-story levels in warehouses that require working from heights, and heavy lifting.
In addition to risks that come with materials handling and work from heights, which can include repetitive motion and overuse injuries, warehouse workers can also come into contact with hazardous substances and electrical hazards, according to OSHA. Some warehouses are also located in areas that are not temperature-controlled, which can lead to heat illness risks in the summer.
Injuries Common Among Warehouse Workers in Maryland
Based on all of the above work duties and hazards, what types of injuries are most commonly reported among warehouse workers? OSHA cites the following:
- Musculoskeletal injuries;
- Traumatic brain injuries;
- Struck-by injuries;
- Caught-in or caught-between injuries;
- Bone fractures;
- Slips and falls;
- Cuts and lacerations;
- Falls from heights;
- Electrical injuries and electrocutions; and
- Traumatic amputations.
Contact a Maryland Warehouse Employee Injury Lawyer for Assistance with Your Workers’ Compensation Case
Warehousing work is hazardous, and short timelines and inexperience, combined with limited safety measures, can result in severe and deadly injuries among warehouse employees. It is important for injured warehouse employees and their families to know that there is no need to prove negligence in order to be eligible for coverage through the Maryland workers’ compensation system — as a no-fault system, regardless of whether an employer, the employee, or a co-worker was negligent, the injured employee can often obtain compensation. One of the experienced Maryland warehouse employee injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Steinhardt, Siskind and Lieberman, LLC can begin working with you today on your workers’ compensation claim. Contact us for assistance.
Source:
osha.gov/warehousing/hazards-solutions
