Major Workplace Health Issues in Warehouse and Shipping Industry:

Both ethics and the law require warehouse and shipping employers to establish a safe workplace so that the workers in this industry stay safe and avoid injuries. Investing in workplace safety can create tangible financial gains for employers. With low attrition and better productivity, employers will see positive revenue growth in the long run. Plus, when an employer takes steps to create a safe workplace, it will improve the employees’ morale.

The following are major workplace health issues in the warehouse and shipping industry.

Workplace Injuries:

More than 705,000 workers in the warehouse and shipping industry perform a wide variety of tasks, including breaking bulk shipments and repacking into smaller components, inventory control, labeling, packaging, and moving heavy items, and light assembly, order entry, and fulfillment. Due to the frequent heavy lifting and physical labor, these workers have one thing in common: a high rate of strains and sprains and other musculoskeletal injuries. A study reports 40.1 recordable injuries per 10,000 workers in this industry. That means workers in this industry are also prone to other major accidents and injuries that come under OSHA recordable outcomes. Vehicle accidents, falls, trips, crashes, and machinery accidents are major workplace injuries in this industry.

Alcohol and Drug Consumption:

Workplace drug abuse and alcohol consumption is a significant issue in the warehouse and shipping industries. Due to frequent musculoskeletal injuries, many workers consume prescribed and non-prescription drugs for quick pain relief. The Department Of Labor requires many warehouse and shipping employers to have periodic workplace drug and alcohol testing in place. Having such a workplace testing program improves your workers’ health and helps avoid workplace injuries.

Workplace Infectious Disease Spread:

Since the beginning of the pandemic, infectious disease spread has been a major workplace health challenge. Because warehouse and shipping industry workers fall into the typically essential zone, remote working is not a choice. Several major workplace infectious disease breakouts were reported since 2020. This is another leading warehouse industry health issue that puts the entire organization at risk of contracting a viral infection.

Workplace Risk Mitigation:

Since warehouse working environments have plenty of potential hazards, workplace risk mitigation is crucial. Employers may consider working with third-party healthcare service providers to implement appropriate warehouse safety procedures. Ensuring the workplace is safe and healthy will ensure your workforce’s safety. OSHA has an excellent framework for the warehouse and shipping industries. Axiom Medical uses OSHA Pocket Guide Workers Safety Series to create workplace safety programs. The main highlights of our industry-specific program include:

Injury Reporting:

Axiom Medical’s Injury Case Management and Injury Reporting aim to lower OSHA recordable outcomes while reducing your employees’ overall time away from work. With timely workplace injury reporting, employers can easily minimize:

• Lost Time
• Loss of Productivity
• OSHA Recordables

24/7 Nurse Triage:

As a part of workplace Injury Case Management, Axiom Medical offers 24/7 Nurse Triage to manage your injured workers’ health by delivering quick first-aid measures via telephonic conversation and recommending appropriate treatments. Before the founding of OSHA 43 years ago, the estimated number of workplace injury deaths was 14,000 per year. With workplace injury case management and nurse triage services, workplaces are safer and healthier, with fewer workplace fatal injuries than before. Axiom Medical’s nurse triage services offer:

• Quick access to OSHA-trained nurses
• Unnecessary treatment elimination
• Risk outcome control

Some of the top benefits include:

• Reduced workers compensation costs
• Lower OSHA recordables
• Appropriate medication/treatment recommendation and review

Injury Case Management:

With Axiom Medical’s injury case management, we provide immediate access to care.  With timely intervention, your employees may be given appropriate first aid measure treatment recommendations to aid their recovery process. With over 65% of cases being managed in-house with quick, telephonic, first aid measures, most injuries do not require formal medical attention.

DOT Physicals and Employee Testing:

Warehouse employees often undergo periodic DOT physicals and employee testing as a part of their workplace regulations pertaining to drug and alcohol screening. Employers need to understand all the applicable laws when testing their employees.

Axiom Medical Can Help!

The best way to start with a warehouse workplace safety program is by implementing practices focusing on identifying workplace hazards and reducing workers’ exposure to them. Some of the main focus on Axiom Medical’s industry-specific program includes accident prevention with employee testing and risk mitigation programs, workplace infection control programs (COVID-19 and other infectious diseases), and employee vaccination. Axiom Medical also offers drug screening services specializing in testing and training and can help companies in the warehouse and shipping industry put together a drug and alcohol screening and compliance program to reduce workplace risks.

Call us today and let our experts help you!