The federal government has launched a safety effort aimed at reducing and preventing workplace hazards in warehouses and distribution centers (DCs), largely in response to the proliferation of those facilities nationwide in the past 10 years.
The “national emphasis program” will be run by the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and will also target mail and parcel processing facilities, as well as local delivery and so-called “high-risk” retail establishments. In making the announcement Thursday, the labor department said there are more than 1.9 million people employed in warehousing and distribution, and cited Bureau of Labor Statistics data that show higher than average rates of injury and illness in the industry. In some segments of the industry, those rates are more than twice the rate of incidents in private industry overall, according to BLS data. Under the three-year program, OSHA will conduct safety inspections focused on hazards related to powered industrial vehicle operations, material handling and storage, walking and working surfaces, means of egress, and fire protection. The program will also include inspections of retail establishments with high injury rates, with a focus on storage and loading areas. DOL said OSHA may expand an inspection’s scope when evidence shows that violations may exist in other areas of the establishment. The department added that OSHA will assess heat and ergonomic hazards as well, and that health inspections may be conducted if OSHA determines those hazards are present. Inspected establishments will be chosen from two lists: One includes establishments with industry codes covered under the emphasis program; the second consists of a limited number of retail establishments with the highest rates of injuries and illnesses resulting in days away, restricted duty, or job transfer. State plans are required to adopt the emphasis program or establish a different program at least as effective as the federal model, DOL said.
