Every year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) makes certain adjustments to their workplace standards to ensure that employees in warehousing and manufacturing stay safe on the job. Not only does this improve worker satisfaction, but it also helps employers minimize costs in terms of insurance coverage and worker’s compensation.
For employees, warehouses can be one of the most dangerous places to work. This is because individuals are often exposed to heavy materials and large machinery. Managers and warehouse operators must stay compliant with OSHA rulings or they could potentially pay out expensive penalties, not to mention the impact on their reputation as a company.
At The Law Offices of Charles H. Leo, P.A. in Orlando, FL, we can help individuals who have been hurt on the job and negotiate a fair settlement. Learn more about essential warehouse safety standards in Central Florida by reading the following information.
Warehouse Safety Standards
These are just a few of the examples of workplace safety standards that should be met when operating a warehouse or similar place of work.
- Personal protective gear: Employers should offer certain types of safety gear to workers upon hire, including hard hats, goggles, fire-resistant garments, earplugs, steel-toe boots, and work gloves.
- Proper workplace techniques: OSHA has a set of standards for performing certain tasks in a warehouse setting, such as lifting heavy objects to prevent harm to your neck, back, and shoulders.
- Emergency procedures: Managers and operators must provide information to warehouse employees about fire safety procedures, hazard communication, evacuation processes, and more.
- Properly labeled defective equipment: There is often damaged or defective equipment in a warehouse. It is essential that these are tagged with a clearly marked “out of service” sign to prevent employees from using it.
- Fall protection: Some equipment is designed to prevent an employee from free falling, such as guards, rails, harnesses, and warning lines. A warehouse should not operate this equipment without them.
What to do in Case of Non-Compliance or Injury
Under no circumstance should a warehouse worker attempt a task that they were not trained or licensed to do, especially in terms of vehicle operation. According to the OSHA handbook, a manager or colleague should never instruct an employee to perform a task they were not trained to do. If you have witnessed an operator, manager, or employee failing to follow proper protocol, even insignificant breaches, you can file a report to OSHA. In fact, if you have any reason to believe a warehouse or other workplace is not following OSHA standards, you can still request a professional inspection to correct this non-compliance.
Whether you have a small cut or have experienced a major accident, it is always best to disclose any workplace incidents as soon as possible. Reporting injuries right away to management prevents other calamities in the future. If you have received an injury on the job, The Law Offices of Charles H. Leo has assisted many workers in the Orlando, Florida area.
