There are times when the deaths of warehouse workers on the job here in our part of the country warrant state and national news coverage, as for example the April 2021 Federal Express Warehouse shooting in Indianapolis where eight people died in an active shooter situation involving a former warehouse employee. Read, “FedEx Shooting Gunman Kills 8 in Indianapolis,” written by Jaclyn Diaz, Scott Neuman, and Dustin Jones and published by NPR on April 16, 2021. For more on active shooters, read:
- Duty of Businesses to Protect You from Active Shooter in Indiana or Illinois;
- Workplace Violence Injury Victims: Employer Liability for Occupational Violence in Indiana and Illinois.
Other examples of media coverage of local warehouse fatalities include: the death of an Amazon warehouse worker at the Plainfield, Indiana, facility, in a horrific forklift accident; see, “Amazon Faces Fines Following the Death of Warehouse Worker, the Second in the Same Month,” written by Jason Del Ray and published by CNBC on November 10, 2017; and the tragic fatality involving a worker suffering a fatal fall at an Illinois warehouse. See, “Worker dies in fall at Antioch Warehouse,” published by the Daily Herald on May 26, 2021.
Still, most people do not consider a warehouse worker to be facing the same level of danger on the job as a logger, construction worker, or commercial truck driver. Overall, the possibility of serious injury or death while on the job facing warehouse workers in Illinois, Indiana, and the rest of the country is not generally recognized as being high risk.
The reality is that warehouse work is one of the most dangerous lines of work in the United States, with worker fatalities in warehouse facilities routinely ranking on the annual lists of Most Dangerous Jobs in America.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) warns that the fatal injury rate for the warehousing industry is higher than the national average for all industries.
Who are Warehouse Workers?
Warehouse work duties are described by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as tasks necessary to operate warehousing and storage facilities for general merchandise, refrigerated goods, and other products. Warehouses serve to store and secure goods prior to distribution and sale.
Warehouse workers can be involved in labeling, breaking bulk, inventory control and management, light assembly, order entry and fulfillment, packaging, pick and pack, price marking and ticketing, shipping, and transportation. They can be employed in an assortment of roles, from clerks and order fillers, to truck drivers, tractor operators, and material movers.
Employers hire for job titles that include: warehouse associate; warehouse clerk; warehouse specialist; warehouse technician; warehouse coordinator; and warehouse foreman. For details, read “What is a Warehouse Job? What is Warehouse Work?” written by Bradley Johnson and published by Blue Cart.
The BLS statistics confirm that most warehouse workers are hurt while at work on warehouse docks; while operating forklifts, or conveyors; or while tasked in material storage or lifting and handling of materials in the warehouse. Consider that one study has shown that Amazon’s warehouses alone had more than 9 out of every 100 workers suffering from an on-the-job injury. Read, “Ruthless Quotas at Amazon Are Maiming Employees,” written by Will Evans and published by The Atlantic on November 25, 2019.
Why is Warehouse Work So Dangerous?
Employees in a warehouse face a wide variety of job site hazards during the scope of their work day. According to OSHA, warehouse workers are at the greatest risk of serious bodily harm while on the job from the following on-site dangers:
- Unsafe use of forklifts;
- Improper stacking of products;
- Failure to use proper personal protective equipment;
- Failure to follow proper lockout/tagout procedures; and
- Inadequate fire safety provisions.
From 2015 to 2017, warehouse worker deaths doubled, and the risk of warehouse fatalities is only expected to increase as the national marketplace continues its trend to online shopping and e-commerce. Technological advancements are also increasing the danger to warehouse workers, as companies implement new equipment (think robotics and automated machines) without a corresponding employee training and safety protocol for the changes. For details, read “Modern Warehouse Safety Problems,” written by David Paoletta and published by EHS Today on December 5, 2019.
The rising trend in warehouse worker deaths is expected to continue for the next few years.
Employer’s Duty of Care and Safety for the Warehouse Worker
It is the duty of the warehouse worker’s employer to provide a safe workplace for the warehouse employees. This legal duty of care and safety, if breached, can cause the employer to be liable for the resulting consequences of any accident on the job site, including fatal injuries to the warehouse worker.
Employers should be alert and aware of the risks that warehouse workers face. Warehouse employers should provided things like:
- Continued and periodic training on keeping safe on the job;
- Education on proper driving of forklifts;
- Education on proper operation of cranes;
- Monitoring for load capacities on forklifts, cranes, shelving, and other equipment;
- Cleaning and maintenance of the warehouse work area, particularly driving paths for forklifts and walking paths for workers;
- Repair and maintenance of all warehouse equipment;
- Designation and oversight of designated walking areas within the facility;
- Maintaining proper lighting in the facility; and
- Providing and maintaining safety cones, warning signs, painted walkways, flashing lights, alarms and alerts, and other safety measures within the warehouse.
Warehouse Workers Injured or Killed on the Job in Indiana or Illinois
For warehouse workers in Indiana or Illinois, there are state laws in place to provide avenues for justice in the aftermath of a severe or fatal on-the-job injury caused by the breach of care and safety of an employer. In some cases, legal liability may extend to other parties, such as the manufacturer and supplier of a defective forklift or the developer of a flawed and failing robotic device.
As our national e-marketplace continues to grow, there will be a greater and greater need for warehouse workers here in the Crossroads of America. Sadly, this trend will likely correspond with an increasing number of warehouse workers being seriously injured or killed on the job.
For more on worker injuries, read:
- AFL-CIO 2021 Report: Shocking Risk of Dying on the Job for Workers in Indiana and Illinois
- 2021 OSHA Top Ten List of Violations Released: Workers No Safer from Known Injury Risks
- The Increasing Danger of Dying on the Job: Fatality Risk Just Keeps Growing for Workers
- NSC Safety Experts Warn of Dangers Facing Workers in the OSHA Top Ten List of Violations.
If you or a loved one suffers injury in an accident while working in a warehouse here in Indiana or Illinois, then be aware that there may be legal claims for damages under our state laws. Please be careful out there!
