There isn’t one specific safety standard that addresses the many hazards when working in warehouses. However, OSHA has compiled a great resource webpage that lists the standards and safety guidelines applicable to warehouses. This resource has all the information to develop a safe warehouse work environment. Although all the resources may not be applicable at your site, much of it may be and should be considered to ensure worker safety and health when working within the warehouse at your site.
The first step is a thorough warehouse safety audit to determine the potential hazards. This may include an audit checklist specific for warehouses, observations, and interviews to identify all the issues and concerns. It is important not to use a ‘checklist only’ tactic- check it off and you’re done – it’s not that simple.
Instead, take a deeper dive using a safety management system approach for a broader, more inclusive perspective. It is not just about ensuring compliance with regulations. It is about embedding safety within the culture and work expectations. How the standards and guidelines are implemented is as important, or even more important, than just following the regulations.
There are multiple considerations to enusre safety. Warehouse hazards often include, for example:
- Ergonomic issues and Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Forklift or other Power Industrial Truck Incidents
- Slips, Trips and Falls
- Material Handling, Stress, and Fatigue
- Hazardous Chemicals Storage and Handling
- Hazardous Waste and Spill Prevention
- Heat Related Issues
Warehousing hazards are addressed in several specific standards for General Industry (29 CFR 1910). In addition to the standards, don’t forget there is also the General Duty Clause. The General Duty Clause requires employers to “furnish to each of their employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.”
Employers can be cited for a violation under the General Duty Clause for a recognized serious hazard in the workplace that has not been addressed or abated, regardless of whether or not there is a specific standard.
Below are a few of The General Industry (29CFR1910) standards listed on the resource webpage that may be applicable to your warehouse facility:
- 1910 Subpart D – Walking-Working Surfaces ((including ladders, fall protection, stairs, and training)
- 1910 Subpart E – Exit Routes and Emergency Planning (including emergency action plans, visible exits, fire prevention plans)
- 1910 Subpart F – Powered Platforms, Manlifts, and Vehicle-Mounted Work Platforms
- 1910 Subpart G – Occupational Health and Environmental Control (noise and ventilation)
- 1910 Subpart H – Hazardous Materials (including highly hazardous chemicals, petroleum gases, anhydrous ammonia, process safety management, and hazardous waste operations and emergency response)
- 1910 Subpart I – Personal Protective Equipment (protection of head, feet, eyes, respiratory system)
- 1910 Subpart J – General Environmental Controls (Lockout Tagout)
- 1910 Subpart K – Medical and First Aid
- 1910 Subpart N – Materials Handling and Storage (Such as: Power Industrial Trucks, overhead and gantry cranes, and slings)
Using a safety management system’s approach (SMS), effective solutions can be determined and implemented. The elements of an SMS include:
- Leadership Direction and Involvement
- Employee Involvement
- Hazard Identification and Reporting Methods
- Hazard Prevention and Control
- Adequate Communication
- Effective Training
- Evaluation and a Feedback Loop for Continuous Improvement.