The biggest shopping day of the year, has arrived and with it, a few shocking announcements. Citing the chaos experienced in its stores last year, ASDA pulled out of the 2015 Black Friday event. This is pretty ironic as ASDA was one of the first UK stores to run the promotion.

There’s no denying Black Friday and the rest of the holiday season are some of the most profitable periods for retailers. But at what cost? Unlike the USA, the UK hasn’t experienced any fatalities from hosting the event.

Every year, the holiday season records an increase in the number of injuries, not just in stores, but in warehouses too. The higher demand for more processing in distribution centres means staff take on extra shifts and work much longer. Combine this with the constant rush to get the job done and workers will let their guard down. This lapse in concentration makes the warehouse floor a very dangerous place to be during peak.

Warehouse staff are the unsung heroes of the holiday shopping season. Guaranteeing their safety isn’t difficult; the following are the most common injuries that occur in the holiday season. We’ve also added our best tips on how you can avoid them.

Slips, Trips & Falls

These are one of the most common accidents, and they can occur in every corner of the warehouse. Often seen as trivial, slip and trip accidents cost UK businesses an estimated £1bn per annum, through compensation claims and lost work hours. This avoidable cost is often caused by hazards like standing water/oil spills, waste packaging, banded strapping loops etc.

Loading docks are especially dangerous as the worker has to contend with a moving platform, a dark environment and wet floors.

Avoid By: Maintaining a clean environment is the answer to 97% of spill injuries. All spills should be promptly cleaned. Wrapping must be properly disposed off ASAP. Supervisors should remind employees about the importance of situational awareness. They should play their part in reporting any hazards observed.

 Musculoskeletal Injuries

In a 2015 survey, the HSE reported musculoskeletal injuries represented 40% of all days lost due to work related ill health. Injured workers took an average of 17 days off work, each! The disorder is prevalent in industries where lifting, pushing and pulling is required, such as the average warehouse.

Avoid By: Workers should be trained and shown how correct lifting procedure can help them avoid injury. Pallet trucks, rotating tables and other lifting equipment must also be provided to aid staff with heavy lifting.

Cold Stress

Warehouse workers rarely pray for a white Christmas; the standard layout of any distribution facility means doors are open 90% of the time. With temperatures plunging to 9°C in parts of the UK, working inside a warehouse still feels like you’re working outside. One less obvious but just-as-dangerous effect of low temperatures is that workers tend to disregard PPE in favour of insulated clothing. This is unacceptable as it exposes them to every hazard possible.

Avoid By: Providing portable heaters where possible. Rotate shifts in a way that workers are not constantly exposed to adverse weather conditions. Provide PPE suitable for cold environments.

Fatigue-Induced Accidents

The higher processing volumes simply cannot be managed by your existing workforce, no matter how experienced they may be. Businesses that make the same staff numbers handle larger volumes record a higher incidence of fatigue among staff. Fatigue is a large contributor to workplace accident numbers, as it makes worker complacent. Fatigued drivers, machine operators, even pickers are accidents waiting to happen.

Avoid By: Increasing warehouse staff numbers to allow businesses keep up with demand, while reducing stress on existing workers. Warehouses generally use temp workers, but this solution also has its own risks. Temp workers must be trained, lest they add to the injury numbers.

Crush Injuries

In the rush to get the job done, forklift drivers may rack palletized loads, without checking their stability. Improperly placed loads can slip off the pallet or through the racking beams, exposing pedestrians to injury from falling objects. Crush injuries can also occur due to stacking errors like placing heavy loads on light boxes; this will cause them to tip over and crush workers’ heads, feet etc.

Avoid By: Educating staff on the risks associated with improper stacking. Remind workers to always check the stability of palletized goods for banding or wrapping. To avoid crush injuries from height, wire decking for pallet racks can be installed.

These are the most common warehouse injuries associated with the holidays. Examine your facility and see which ones you are exposing your staff to. Your staff are one of your most valuable assets; use these tips to keep them safe during the hectic holiday season.

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