www.osha.gov	Pocket Guide
Worker Safety Series Warehousing

• More than 145,000 people work in over 7,000 warehouses.
• The fatal injury rate for the warehousing industry is higher than the national average for all industries.
• Potential hazards for workers in warehousing:
  • Unsafe use of forklifts;
  • Improper stacking of products;
  • Failure to use proper personal protective equipment;
  • Failure to follow proper lockout/tagout procedures;
  • Inadequate fire safety provisions; or
  • Repetitive motion injuries.

1. Forklifts
2. Hazard communication
3. Electrical, wiring methods
4. Electrical, system design
5. Guarding floor & wall openings and holes
6. Exits
7. Mechanical power transmission
8. Respiratory protection
9. Lockout/tagout
10. Portable fire extinguishers

• Drive forklifts slowly on docks and dock plates;
• Secure dock plates and check to see if the plate can safely support the load;
• Keep clear of dock edges and never back up forklifts to the dock's edge;
• Provide visual warnings near dock edges;
• Prohibit "dock jumping" by employees;
• Make sure that dock ladders and stairs meet OSHA specifications.

• Train, evaluate and certify all operators to ensure that they can operate forklifts safely;
• Do not allow anyone under 18 years old to operate a forklift;
• Properly maintain haulage equipment, including tires;
• Before using a forklift, examine it for hazardous conditions which would make it unsafe to operate;
• Follow safe procedures for picking up, putting down and stacking loads;
• Drive safely, never exceeding 5 mph and slow down in congested areas or those with slippery surfaces;
• Ensure that the operator wears a seatbelt installed by the manufacturer;
• Never drive up to a person standing in front of a fixed object such as a wall or stacked materials;
• Prohibit stunt driving and horseplay;
• Do not handle loads that are heavier than the weight capacity of the forklift;
• Remove unsafe or defective trucks from service until the defect is properly repaired;
• Maintain sufficiently safe clearances for aisles and at loading docks or passages where forklifts are used;
• Ensure adequate ventilation either by opened doors/windows or using a ventilation system to provide enough fresh air to keep concentrations of noxious gases from engine exhaust below acceptable limits;
• Provide covers and/or guardrails to protect workers from the hazards of open pits, tanks, vats and ditches;
• Train employees on the hazards associated with the combustion byproducts of forklift operation, such as carbon monoxide.

• Inspect conveyors regularly;
• Ensure that pinch points are adequately guarded;
• Develop ways of locking out conveyors and train employees in these procedures;
• Provide proper lighting and working surfaces in the area surrounding the conveyor.

• Stack loads evenly and straight;
• Place heavier loads on lower or middle shelves;
• Remove one object at a time from shelves;
• Keep aisles and passageways clear and in good repair.

• Provide general ergonomics training and task-specific training;
• Minimize the need for lifting by using good design and engineering techniques;
• Lift properly and get a coworker to help if a product is too heavy.

• Maintain a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for each chemical to which workers are exposed in the facility;
• Follow instructions on the MSDS for handling chemical products;
• Train employees on the risks of each chemical being stored;
• Provide spill cleanup kits in any area where chemicals are stored;
• Have a written spill control plan;
• Train employees to clean up spills, protect themselves and properly dispose of used materials;
• Provide proper personal protective equipment and enforce its use;
• Store all chemicals safely and securely;
• Store chemicals away from forklift traffic areas.

• Prohibit smoking and open flames in and around charging stations;
• Provide adequate ventilation to disperse fumes from gassing batteries;
• Ensure that fire extinguishers are available and fully charged;
• Provide proper personal protective equipment such as rubber gloves and eye and face protection;
• Properly position forklifts and apply brakes before attempting to change or charge batteries; follow required procedures when refueling gas or propane fueled forklifts;
• Provide conveyors, overhead hoists or equivalent materials handling equipment for servicing batteries;
• Provide an eyewashing and safety shower facility for employees exposed to battery acids.

• If possible, use powered equipment instead of requiring a manual lift for heavy materials;
• Reduce lifts from shoulder height and from floor height by repositioning the shelf or bin;
• Ensure overhead lighting is adequate for the task at hand;
• Provide employees with task-oriented ergonomic training;
• Use your legs and keep your back in a natural position while lifting;
• Test the load to be lifted to estimate its weight, size and bulk, and to determine the proper lifting method;
• Get help if the load exceeds the maximum weight a person can lift safely without assistance;
• Don't twist while carrying a load, but shift your feet and take small steps in the direction you want to turn;
• Keep floors clean and free of slip and trip hazards.

• Provisions for emergency exit locations and evacuation procedures;
• Procedures for accounting for all employees and visitors;
• Location and use of fire extinguishers and other emergency equipment.

• Employees had to reach elevated and distant locations in storage shelves to access materials;
• Workers had to repeatedly bend to reach low-level locations at floor level to access materials;
• Employees were lifting and placing heavy boxes onto pallets placed on the floor;
• Employees were performing forceful finger tasks with their wrists in bent postures while pricing products at poorly designed workstations.

• Adjusting the height of shelves;
• Providing stools or ladders to employees;
• Reducing the depth of shelving;
• Raising loading heights;
• Evaluating the flow and volume of orders so faster-moving products are placed on
  easier-to-reach shelves.