Emily Newton – October 23, 2024
Collected at: https://www.iotforall.com/high-warehouse-accident-rates-iot-can-help
Cameras observe the daily activities of warehouse workers, noting occupancy schedules and workflow habits. Industry implementers of The Internet of Things (IoT) must know how their workforce operates before understanding how safety incidents occur.
IoT is the most powerful asset in collecting information to take meaningful preventive actions. How does a simple sensor find the most prominent safety oversights and mitigate them simultaneously?
Current State of Warehouse Safety Accident Rates
Warehousing, transportation, and construction in the private sector share many similar incident types. Company leaders must prioritize incident mitigation because it is one of the leading causes of low worker morale, overextended budgets, and productivity losses.
The rise in e-commerce also presents a unique opportunity for warehouses to enhance and adapt to stronger safety routines alongside increased demand.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates warehousing experiences 5.5 safety incidents per 100 employees annually (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024). Additionally, it did extra research over four years to discover the frequency and categories of reportable incidents from 2016 to 2020 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). It discovered:
- The most affected part of the body was the back, followed by the shoulders and knees.
- The event causing the most injury was falling from varying heights.
- The most common type of injury was sprains, strains, and tears, followed by pain and bruising.
Warehousing and storage facility safety has become such a concern that the U.S. Department of Labor created a five-year plan in 2022 to reduce injuries (OSHA, 2022). Its focus is outreach and education, targeting the most susceptible states first. Additionally, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will conduct on-site inspections for additional accountability.
Most Notable Incident Types and Warehouse IoT Solutions
According to OSHA, warehouse workers endure mental stress and face mechanical dangers daily (OSHA, 2022). It leads to these top incident categories, which IoT can solve. Discover the strategies and technologies necessary for implementation.
Heat Illness
Many warehouses lack environmental control. Combine this with body temperature changes from working, and many face extremes regularly. Condition monitoring sensors are a straightforward installation for real-time alerts about humidity and temperature vacillations in the warehouse.
Integrations with machine learning algorithms can also predict internal condition tendencies as they learn. Install these throughout the floor, focusing on volatile environments.
Automation and Robotics Incidents
Industry 4.0 embraces automation. However, not all workers have the upskilling necessary to responsibly handle or work alongside robots. IoT motion and vibration sensors are monumental because they can trigger automated shutdown protocols if they detect unusual movement that puts staff in harm’s way.
Temporary Worker Oversights
Warehouses often partner with contractor organizations to supplement staffing needs, which leads to safety training inconsistencies.
However, tracking employee activity is more accurate and less intrusive with millimeter-wave radar IoT sensors. These notice obstacles and collisions, even through walls (Soumya, et al., 2023). IoT implementers can verify operational integrity this way.
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Failures
Sometimes, warehouse workers fail to power down machines before executing maintenance, whether through negligence or forgetfulness. IoT cameras and tamper detection are perfect for discovering non-compliant staff and preventing upkeep before employees initiate LOTO.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Falling is the most common hazard in warehouses, whether from a ladder or when disembarking a forklift. Facilities lose 11 workdays annually because of injuries and warehouse layouts are pivotal in mindful maneuvering (Gabel, 2023).
IoT can connect to artificial intelligence-enabled cameras with computer vision, which enhances surveillance across the facility. Over time, sensors discover the most fall-prone regions and what environmental and operational factors influence them.
Refrigerated Warehousing Dangers
Refrigeration can be as much of a danger as extreme heat. Managers should encourage employees to don wearable IoT devices when they enter refrigerated zones.
These sensors also authenticate entry and track workers who frequently engage with these areas. Wearables leverage near-field communication tech, preventing unverified access, keeping others safer, and notifying stakeholders if crises occur.
Material Handling Failures
Warehouse workers interact with various materials, whether textiles, plastic, or chemicals. Each type requires distinct handling measures. IoT inventory trackers and barcode scanners are ideal and seamless for identifying damaged, misplaced products that could harm employees handling them.
Connected software provides unprecedented visibility for floor staff and management to maintain a constant view of shelving conditions.
Stress and Fatigue
Warehousing and storage is a demanding industry, and high turnover rates paired with labor shortages place intense pressures on the floor. Projections show there will be 2.1 million open warehousing positions by 2030 despite over 2 million robots helping worldwide (Radin, 2022). Wearable IoT is helpful here as well because it can keep tabs on heart rate, blood pressure, and other vital health metrics.
Electrical Hazards
As facilities adopt more smart technologies and automation, even the most unassuming warehouse fixture could become electrical. For example, shelves can automatically track inventory and move on tracks to react to the floor’s workflow.
Currents are everywhere, and thermal and electrical IoT sensors monitor them. Proximity sensors can alert staff if they get too close to a perilous area.
Forklift and Heavy Electrical Equipment Dangers
Every warehouse technician should receive training on specific heavy-duty equipment before operating regularly, including forklifts. Facilities should invest in forklifts and equipment with embedded IoT sensors and vehicle telematics. Management must have visibility over vehicle and driver conditions, and IoT enables GPS tracking, speed oversight, and part sensors to find leaks or temperature spikes.
Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders
Warehouse leaders must consider how often workers crane their necks, strain their wrists, and overextend their backs. Each installation requires ergonomic considerations.
Warehousing racking must be accessible and on even flooring for comfort and safety (Tennessee Rack, 2023). IoT-enabled automated picking tools prevent workers from hurting themselves from contortions or unsafe lifting.
Hazardous Chemical Exposure
Workers must never assume they are safe from chemicals if products are on shelves or several feet away from them on a pallet jack. IoT air and gas monitors can detect when chemical particles enter the air, and level sensors can keep tabs on fluids in containers to prevent overflows.
Emergency Planning Oversights
A series of racks could come tumbling down, or a chemical fire may start on a high shelf. Failure to plan for every emergency leaves workers scrambling if a novel threat appears. Asset trackers and RFID tags allow staff to respond quickly to emergencies and get the tools they need to stabilize and reach safety. IoT can also automatically call manager phones for instant notification (Jarašūnienė, et al., 2023).
This includes defibrillators and first-aid kits. Sensors are even attachable to the glass so management knows if panes break. The last thing employees should worry about when finding assistance is locating accident response equipment.
Warehouse IoT and Safety
IoT gives warehouse stakeholders and operators additional oversight, even during late hours or times of understaffing. Isolating hazardous elements of the facility and accident-prone employees with IoT allows targeted training.
It also helps mitigate incidents by helping management make informed decisions. Installing warehouse IoT sensors will separate compliant and safe workplaces from competitors, fostering more dedicated staff and client trust.
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