These days, online shopping offers considerable convenience for numerous people in North Carolina and beyond. Of course, online retailers often need large warehouses to store and ship products from, which means that online shopping also offers certain job opportunities. If you work in a warehouse, you may enjoy the rhythm of your day as you store, retrieve or pack items. However, if your employer does not keep safety a top priority, you could face on-the-job hazards.
Though no workplace is completely free from safety or health hazards, your employer can take the time to ensure that the warehouse in which you work is as safe as possible. Unfortunately, some violations, even temporary ones, could put everyone on the job at risk.
Risk reduction
It can be difficult to think about every way that a worker could suffer harm on the job, but it is up to your employer to reduce those risks. Some ways your employer could help keep you and your co-workers safe include the following:
- Having a safety budget: Though production and profit are often at the top of the list for warehouse management, it is necessary to ensure that proper funds are allocated for safety equipment and training, which could go a long way in preventing accidents.
- Providing training: Warehouses often utilize various types of equipment, from forklifts to conveyor belts, and workers need to receive proper training on how to use that equipment. They also need to know how to report an accident and what to do when one occurs.
- Keeping exits and walkways clear: When boxes are loaded or unloaded, they could end up sitting next to an exit or in a walkway before being loaded for shipment or stored in the warehouse. Even if this hazard exists temporarily, it is enough time to put workers at risk as cluttered walkways could cause trips and falls and blocked exits could trap workers in the event of a sudden emergency.
- Considering ergonomic impacts: You and your co-workers may spend a lot of your time bending, reaching, lifting, standing and carrying out other repetitive motions that could put strain on your body, especially over time. Your employer should ensure that the warehouse floor is ergonomically friendly.
Hopefully, your employer takes the necessary steps to better ensure worker safety at all times in the warehouse. Of course, that does not mean that you will avoid every incident that could cause you injury.
What if you are injured?
If you do suffer injuries on the job, you may understandably worry about your health and finances. A work-related injury can certainly cause setbacks, but workers’ compensation could help you cover medical expenses and lost wages as you recover. Of course, handling necessary paperwork for applying for benefits can be challenging, and you would much rather focus on your recovery. As a result, you may want to obtain the assistance of an attorney experienced in workers’ comp matters who could help you through this process.