OSHA has strict and thorough safety regulations you need to follow. And even when you follow what they say to the last letter, you can still be open to accidents.

That’s because no one is perfect. Everybody makes mistakes. It’s easy to get lulled back into sleep in the routine of the day and not remain conscious and aware, and then end up making big mistakes that lead to serious accidents.

Where can you focus your time on safety training so you minimize the most likely causes of accidents?

Here’s what to watch for in 2021:

1. Pallet Rack Collapses

These accidents usually happen because of incorrect storage. Pallets are overloaded. Or, heavier materials get stored toward the top, when they should be on the bottom.

Packing pallets with the heaviest objects near the bottom and with the appropriate load so they maintain their balance is the simple solution. Add to that regular inspections, and you have a recipe for success.

2. Hazmat Spills

Here we’re not only talking about a large spill, but also small leaks. As you know, just the tiniest bit of a dangerous chemical can cause serious harm to your employees.

Give your personnel the latest PPE and training on its correct usage. Make sure they have access to the latest SDS sheets for proper handling.

Train forklift drivers on correct operation and inspect forklifts prior to each use.

3. Falling Objects

The higher you stack products, the more efficiently you use your warehouse space. It feels great when you optimize your efficiency.

Just make sure efficiency doesn’t come at the cost of safety. Make sure you stack and inspect heavy objects safely. And pay extra attention to cylindrical products, which can easily roll off.

4. Excessive Physical Strain

Physically demanding work puts long-term strain on your employees’ bodies. Overworking your employees and pushing them beyond their limits comes back to bite you with more injuries over the long-term.

Make sure your workers maintain high awareness of their own physical state. And encourage them to give you feedback on where they’re at so you can help them stay in good physical condition and avoid serious injuries that keep them out of work for weeks.

Warehouse safety is an investment that pays for itself many times over when done right in the first place.

You’ll never completely eliminate the risk of injury for your workers. But you can minimize it, which leads to the greatest ROI and productivity for you and your warehouse over the long-term.