Situational awareness is important in any job, especially when dangers can blindside. In busy warehouses, a good proportion of injuries happen on loading docks. There is a lot of hustle and bustle in a warehouse, where workers can get sensory overload from the sights, sounds, and movement. Loading dock workers must move at a rapid pace to keep up with production, which adds to the danger. Accidents and injuries affect a company's bottom line by incurring OSHA fines, insurance claims, and interrupting production. Workplaces can use simple tips to improve loading dock communication, safety, and efficiency.
There are more than 4.2 million material movers in the U.S., with most working in transportation and warehousing. Warehouse loading dock hazards include musculoskeletal, slips, trips, and falls, and caught or struck by accidents.
In 2018, a worker died from being struck by equipment in a loading dock area. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, maintenance did not follow standards or safety best practices, including lockout/tagout, electrical, and arc flash safety, among others.
"Employers are required to train workers on safety practices, and use appropriate hazard controls to ensure their safety," said OSHA official Jeff Funke. "Proper safety controls and training can prevent fatalities like this from occurring."
Communication about hazards and safety strategies is necessary on a routine basis. This keeps the safety conversation at the forefront of daily activities as part of warehouse management. Training all workers on loading dock safety should be a part of ongoing hazard prevention. Reinforce safety messages with communication to improve visibility. For example, use floor markings to identify walking and working areas. Document maintenance and other heavy machinery handling. Post signs to alert to dock plate loading weight capacities and other loading information. Using the 5S method, keep containers, packaging, tools, and other materials neat and labeled accurately-this helps cut waste. Be sure to update the workplace Safety Data Sheets for instructions on handling chemicals.
Using safety best practices, training, and signs and labels, workplaces can execute hazard prevention continuously, which helps reduce the risk of loading dock accidents and keeps operations running full speed ahead.