Safety products can safeguard distribution centers.

Warehouse and distribution center efficiency and productivity has risen tremendously in recent decades. However, the gains can be jeopardized by safety breakdowns that lead to personal injury, equipment and product damage. In facilities of any size, this includes costly vehicle impact to pallet racking, which can undermine necessary storage and product throughput. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, each year in the United States, nearly 100 workers are killed and another 20,000 are seriously injured in forklift-related incidents. 

Efficiencies have been gained from better floor plans that allow for quicker throughput, from innovative racking solutions, and from robotics and other automation. At the same time, distribution facility employees are more productive than ever. Nevertheless, without the proper industrial safety products and approaches, collisions involving personnel with forklifts, tow tractors and other vehicles can be serious, potentially leading to grievous injury, loss of life and litigation. Vehicle impact with facility equipment, structures and controls can also have severe consequences. 

Racking, work platforms like mezzanines and modular offices inside distribution warehouses also need to be protected with barriers to forklift traffic, such as guardrails. 

Badly damaged racking (from a vehicle collision) loaded with inventory could potentially collapse without warning if not immediately unloaded, inspected and repaired. A forklift could also go right through the wall of an in-plant modular office inside a distribution warehouse. 

Distribution center productivity can also be compromised if important equipment like racking, conveyors, electrical boxes and control panels are not properly protected with barriers from vehicle traffic. In many cases, critical components must be replaced after damage at a substantial cost along with lengthy lead times. With recent parts shortages and logistical delays, replacement could take several months or more, resulting in extended equipment downtime and lower warehouse productivity. 

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2022 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.

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