• The Piper Alpha Oil Rig accident that cost $3.4 billion in damages.
• The Exxon Valdez oil spill cost $2.5 billion to clean up.
• Lawsuits from the Chatsworth Train Collision are in excess of $500 Million

Apart from the staggering costs associated with them, what do these major accidents have in common? They were all caused by human error.

There is no denying that humans are prone to accidents, regardless of whether it’s someone at the helm of a cruise ship or a manual pallet truck. But while property damage/loss can cripple a business for a while, the cost of human life extends beyond monetary value. Despite this realization, avoidable accidents that lead to lost productivity, higher insurance premiums, injury and death, still happen everyday.

When we discuss warehouse safety, forklift drivers are always the first to be blamed for any accidents. But while they are a leading cause of accidents, they are not the most dangerous element on the warehouse floor.

Complacency is the number one cause of accidents. In the warehouse, workers who work with the same equipment daily, tend to get over-confident. This leads to an under-appreciation of the potential danger of the machine. Being too familiar with equipment can also lead to not paying full attention when using it. This is when accidents occur; whether it’s the forklift driver who zones out while making a turn into an aisle, or the picker who doesn’t look where he is sticking his hand while picking.

When you see a spill or hear of an accident, your first thought may be to blame inexperienced staff, but they are often more likely to be careful around unfamiliar equipment. You’d be surprised at how many accidents are caused by long-term, supposedly knowledgable staff members.

To avoid accidents, warehouse managers are advised to hold regular training to remind users of how to properly use machinery and remind them of the dangers if misused. Having pointed out the major cause of accidents; lets see how complacency manifests in the most common accident scenarios:

• Slips and Trips – This is a frequent occurrence in all warehouses and can be blamed on either a lack of appropriate PPT (safety boots with non slip sole) or outright complacency. Slips on concrete are often caused by the presence of loose materials like sawdust, grease puddles or ice. To prevent slips, workers should be encouraged to report any spills so that they can be quickly cleaned up. The default reaction among many workers is to turn a blind eye.
• Fire – A fire outbreak is a warehouse manager’s greatest fear, as fire is ruthless in its consumption of anything in its path. Knowing this, a program of constant prevention awareness must be deployed in the business. Spills of potentially flammable liquids, frayed and exposed wires from electrical equipment are all visible hazards but complacent staff will ignore them, instead of reporting them.
• Manual Handling – Improper handling and storage of materials causes strains on the muscles of the body. Prolonged exposure to the strain will lead to musculoskeletal injuries. These strains occur because workers tend to underestimate weights and injure themselves trying to move heavy goods on their own. Workers also underestimate distances, and often choose not to secure goods safely if they feel ‘they are not going far’. If these loads topple, they can hit people causing further injury.
• Exposure to harmful gases – In the rush to get the work done, warehouse workers rarely use the correct PPE. While they may be mandated to wear a hi-vis vest and boots before they can even step into the warehouse, other items of PPE are not used as readily. In the transfer of dangerous gases, very few workers will take time to don a mask and gloves. It’s always, ‘I can quickly move it across , it’s not that far’.
Supervisors also have a role in the safe storage of gases; they must ensure that certain gases are not stored together, due to their properties.
• Forklifts – Pedestrians on the shop floor always have the mindset that ‘he can see me, he’ll stop in time’. That is an extremely risky move,as they are not sure of the condition of the forklift. For one, the brakes may not function as well as before. Playing Chicken with a 5 tonne forklift is a very dangerous game that should be avoided by sticking to the clearly marked walkways.

Warehouse managers can reduce complacency by constantly increasing employee awareness. A program of regular employee training combined with the use of well maintained machinery, can help reduce the risks of accidents occurring. By encouraging employees to be proactive when they see a hazard, the management will be making sure everyone buys into safety as a culture.

Monarch Limited is a supplier of a wide range of warehouse storage equipment, i.e.