Warehouse Accidents

Hundreds of thousands of people in the UK work in warehouses.  Warehouse workers are a vital part of the chain in many businesses and are the nerve center for organising the incoming, outgoing and storage of products.

However, despite the valuable work that they do, warehouse workers are often exposed to negligence by their employers. Statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reveal that in 2003/2004, there were almost 5,000 work-related accidents which occurred in warehouses. Just over 600 were classed as severe, including such injuries as broken bones and amputated digits and limbs. Workers who suffer these injuries are likely to be off work for quite some time or may not even be able to return to their jobs.

One of the most common warehouse accidents is the slip or trip. These often occur when products and boxes have not been correctly put away or the layout of the warehouse is inherently poor.

Being hit by a falling or moving object is another leading cause of personal injury among warehouse workers. This can occur if products are being poorly stacked by staff; something which should never happen in a well run warehouse. Also, with forklifts operating in many warehouses, workers may suffer serious injuries in accidents involving these heavy machines.

The final type of warehouse accident that happens with unfortunate frequency is a manual handling accident. Back injuries are by far the most common result and can often cause the worker recurring pain and discomfort for months and even years after the incident. As well as back injuries, hand and foot injuries can also be caused if heavy products are dropped whilst in the process of being handled.

If you’ve had an accident in a warehouse for which you were not responsible you may be able to make a personal injury claim and should speak to a personal injury lawyer.