In New Jersey, injuries can happen in any kind of employment, but people who work in industries where they are required to be around heavy items, use complicated equipment and trust others to adhere to safety protocol are generally more vulnerable. Those who work in a warehouse face specific safety challenges. To mitigate potential risk, it is important to be aware of common hazards. After an accident, those impacted should know the steps to getting workers’ compensation benefits.
Understanding the most prevalent warehouse safety concerns
Warehouses are inordinately busy with workers given various tasks to perform. There is the foundation for a litany of accidents. To move heavy objects, forklifts are needed. The protruding metal bars, carting boxes and other heavy items puts the pieces in place for mishaps. Statistically, there are around 20,000 serious injuries and 100 fatalities from warehouse forklift issues each year. One-quarter of the deaths are because the forklift flipped over. A slip and fall incident can also cause serious injuries. These are second in frequency to forklift accidents. Fifteen percent of fatalities and one-quarter of all injuries are because of slips and falls.
Twenty-five percent of injuries in warehouses happen on docks. The height of the loading dock is generally around 4 feet, so falling can be damaging and result in death. Many warehouses store hazardous material. Even if there is abundant caution, spills can place people in jeopardy of exposure, being set on fire and burned by chemicals. Finally, repetitive motion with the extremities and the back can cause incremental injuries that eventually lead to problems continuing to perform the same duties.
Seeking workers’ compensation may require legal assistance
While training and strict adherence to safety requirements may help reduce warehouse accidents and injuries, they will still happen regularly. Workers’ compensation might be needed to cover for lost wages, medical expenses and more. Getting approved can sometimes be problematic or there may be a dispute as to how long the worker will be off the job. Having professional advice can be helpful in being awarded benefits and maximizing them.