4 Warehousing Warehousing was selected to be in this book because its function was to store materials and goods that made the exposures of the workforce very similar to those faced by workers in wholesale and retail trades. It is usually housed in the same grouping as the transportation sector. The North American Industrial Classifi- cation System (NAICS) lists it as follows: Warehousing and storage (493000) Warehousing and storage (493100) Warehousing and storage facilities comprised 13,000 establishments in 2004. These firms are engaged primarily in operating warehousing and storage facilities for general merchandise and refrigerated goods (Figure 4.1). They provide facilities to store goods; self-storage mini-warehouses that rent to the general public are also included in this segment of the industry. The deregulation of interstate trucking in 1980 encouraged many firms to add a wide range of customer-oriented services to complement trucking and warehousing services and led to innovations in the distribution process. Increasingly, trucking and warehousing firms are providing logistical services encompassing the entire trans- portation process. Firms that offer these services are called third-party logistics providers. Logistical services manage all aspects of the movement of goods between producers and consumers. Among their value-added services are sorting bulk goods into customized lots, packaging and repackaging goods, controlling and managing Warehouses are containers for the transfer and storage of goods and materials. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. inventory, order entering and fulfillment, labeling, performing light assembly, and marking prices. Some full-service companies even perform war ranty repair work and serve as local parts distributors for manufacturers. Some of these services, such as maintaining and retrieving computerized inventory information on the location, age, and quantity of goods available, have helped to improve the efficiency of relationships between manufacturers and customers. Many firms are relying on new technologies and the coordination of processes to expedite the distribution of goods. Voice control software allows a computer to coordinate workers through audible comm ands—telling workers what items to pack for which orders— helping to reduce error s and increase efficiency. Voice control software can also be used to perform inventory checks and reordering. Some firms use radio frequency identification devices (RFIDs) to track and manage incoming and outgoing shipments. RFID simplifies the receiving process by allow- ing entire shipments to be scanned without unpacking a load to manually compare it against a bill of lading. Just-in-time shipping is a process whereby goods arrive just before they are needed, saving recipients money by reducing their need to carry large invent ories. These technologies and processes reflect two major trends in warehousing: supply chain integration, whereby firms involved in production, transportation, and storage all move in concert so as to a ct with the greatest possible efficiency; and ongoing attempts to reduce inventory levels and increase inventory accuracy. The average annual employment for warehousing is 555,800 workers. This is approximately 0.4% of the U.S. workforce and 0.7% of the service industry workforce. FIGURE 4.1 Warehousing provides for the orderly staging and storage of goods and materials. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. 4.1 PROFILE OF WAREHOUSING WORKERS’ DEATH, INJURIES, AND ILLNESSES 4.1.1 D EATHS There were 27 deaths in the warehousing sector. These deaths account for 0.9% or the total deaths (2736) in the service industry. As can be noted in Table 4.1, fall was the most frequent cause of warehousing deaths. 4.1.2 INJURIES There were 14,620 reported injuries for warehousing workers in 2004. The injury rate for warehousing was 9.3 per 100 full-time workers, while it was 4.2 and 4.8 for the service industry and all of private industry, respectively. This alarming injury rate indicates the danger involved in the warehousing sector. The distribution for the nature, body part, source, and exposure (accident type) for the 14,620 injuries are presented in Tables 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, and 4.5, respectively. 4.1.3 ILLNESSES In the warehousing sector, 1900 cases of occupational illness were reported; this is 1% of the total reported illnesses for the service industry. Table 4.6 provides the breakdown of the illnesses. 4.2 HAZARDS FACED BY WAREHOUSING WORKERS The fatal injury rate for warehousi ng is higher than the national average for all industries. Warehousing is often viewed as not being a very complex operation, but traffic patterns, fast pace, constant motion, and a myriad of various materials being handled and stored lead to exposure to many hazards. Some of the most c ommon hazards faced by warehouse workers are as follows: . Unsafe forklifts . Unsafe docks . Improper stacking or storage of materials . Failure to wear proper personal protective equipment . Conveyor hazards . Hazardous substances, materials, and chemicals . Manual lifting and handling task . Improper fueling and charging batteries . Poor ergonomic design . Potential fires 4.3 OCCUPATIONS The handling and storage of materials require a workforce that is not the most highly paid or skillfully qualified. The perception is that anyone can do warehousing type of ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. work. However, the more experienced, trained, and skilled the workforce, the less the chances of potential injury and death. With the use of computers and automated equipment in warehouse, there is more of a presence of administrative types of workers who spend most of their time in an office environment. (Safety and health for office workers is covered in Industrial Safety and Health for Administrative Services.) Laborers and hand freight, stock, and material movers help load and unload freight and move it around warehouses and terminals. Often, these unskilled employ- ees work together in groups of three or four. They may use conveyor belts, hand trucks, pallet jacks, or forklifts to move freight. They may place heavy or bulky items TABLE 4.1 Occupational Death Cause by Percent for the Warehousing Sector Cause Percent Highway 0 Homicides 0 Falls 15 Struck-by 0 Source: From Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2005. Available at http:==bls.gov. TABLE 4.2 Nature of Injury by Number and Percent for the Warehousing Sector Nature of Injury Number Percent Sprains=strains a 6300 43 Fractures a 940 6 Cuts=punctures a 630 4 Bruises 1170 12 Heat burns —— Chemical burns —— Amputations —— Carpal tunnel syndrome 230 1.5 Tendonitis 290 1.9 Multiple trauma a 470 3 Back pain (only) a 360 2 Source: From Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in 2004. Available at http:==bls.gov. a Five most frequently occurring conditions. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. TABLE 4.3 Body Part Injured by Number and Percent for the Warehousing Sector Body Part Injured Number Percent Head 640 4 Eyes 280 1.9 Neck 260 1.7 Trunk a 6410 44 Back a 3820 26 Shoulder a 1250 8.5 Upper extremities a 3070 21 Finger 620 4 Hand 760 5 Wrist 660 4.5 Lower extremities a 3390 23 Knee 810 5.5 Foot and toe 1050 7 Body systems 50 0.3 Multiple body parts 800 5 Source: From Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in 2004. Available at http:==bls.gov. a Five most frequently injured body parts. TABLE 4.4 Source of Injury by Number and Percent for the Warehousing Sector Sources of Injuries Number Percent Parts and materials a 720 5 Worker motion=position a 1810 12 Floor, walkways, or ground surfaces a 1410 10 Hand tools 230 1.5 Vehicles a 2390 16 Health care patient —— Chemicals and chemical products —— Containers a 5030 34 Furniture and fixtures 730 5 Machinery 520 4 Source: From Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in 2004. Available at http:==bls.gov. a Five most frequent sources of injury. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. on wooden skids or pallets and have industrial truck and tractor operators move them (Figure 4.2). Office and administrative support workers perform the daily recordkeeping operations for the truck transportation and warehousing industry. Dispatchers coordinate the movement of freight and trucks, and provide the main communication link that informs the truck drivers of their assignments, schedules, and routes. TABLE 4.5 Exposure=Accident Type by Number and Percent for the Warehousing Sector Type of Accidents Number Percent Struck by object a 1570 11 Struck against object 900 6 Caught in or compressed or crushed 590 4 Fall to lower level 450 3 Fall on same level a 1110 7.6 Slips or trips without a fall 820 2 Overexertion a 5720 39 Lifting a 3700 25 Repetitive motion 530 3 Exposure to harmful substance or environment 80 0.5 Transportation accident a 1170 12 Fires and explosions —— Assaults=violent acts 80 0.5 Source: From Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in 2004. Available at http:== bls.gov. a Five most frequent exposures or type of accidents that led to an injury. TABLE 4.6 Occupational Illnesses by Number of Cases and Percent for the Warehousing Sector Illness Type Number Percent Skin diseases and disorders 100 5 Respiratory conditions 0 0 Poisoning 0 0 Hearing loss 100 5 All others 1700 90 Source: From Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in 2004. Available at http:==bls.gov. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Dispatchers frequently receive new shipping orders on short notice and must juggle drivers’ assignments and schedules to accommodate a client. Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks keep records of shipments arriving and leaving. They verify the contents of trucks’ cargo against shipping records. They also pack and move stock. Billing and posting clerks and machine operators maintain company records of the shipping rates negotiated with customers and shipping charges incurred; they also prepare customer invoices. Sales and related workers sell warehousing services to shippers of goods. They meet with prospective buyers, discuss the customers’ needs, and suggest appropr iate services. Travel may be required, and many analyze sales statistics, prepare reports, and handle some administrative duties. Managerial staff provides general direction to the firm. They staf f, supervise, and provide safety and other training to workers in the various occupations. They also resolve logistical problems such as forecasting the demand for transportation, mapping out the most efficient traffic routes, ordering parts and equipment service support, and scheduling the transportation of goods. FIGURE 4.2 Although forklifts are useful, they pose danger when misused. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Many jobs in the wareh ousing industry require only a high school education, although an increasing number of workers have at least some college education. College education is most important for those seeking positions in management. Increasing emphasis on formal education stems from the increasing use of techno- logy in the industry. Nearly all operations involve computers and information management systems. Many occupations—especially those involved in scheduling, ordering, and receiving—require detail-oriented people with computer skills. A growing number of employers recommend some form of formal training. Some companies provide such training in-house. Other sources of training include trade TABLE 4.7 Twenty Nine Most Frequent OSHA Violations for the Warehousing Sector Standard Number Cited Description 1910.178 258 Powered industrial trucks 1910.1200 141 Hazard communications 1910.305 112 Wiring methods, components, and equipment for general use 1910.37 97 Maintenance, safeguards, and operation features of exit routes 1910.303 96 General requirements 1910.157 68 Portable fire extinguishers 1910.132 67 Guarding floor and wall opening and holes 1910.147 59 The control of hazardous energy (lockout=tagout) 1904.29 49 Forms 5A1 45 General duty clause 1910.134 44 Respiratory protection 1910.151 44 Medical services and first aid 1910.1030 44 Bloodborne pathogens 1904.41 39 Annual OSHA injury and illness survey of 10 or more employees 1910.215 39 Abrasive wheel machinery 1910.22 37 General requirements 1910.212 35 General requirements for all machines 1910.176 34 Handling materials, general 1910.304 29 Wiring design and protection 1910.36 26 Design and construction requirements for exit routes 1910.146 24 Permit-required confined spaces 1904.32 20 Annual summary 1910.253 20 Oxygen-fuel welding and cutting 1910.119 19 Process safety management of highly hazardous chemical 1910.106 18 Flammable and combustible liquids 1910.110 17 Storage and handling of liquefied petroleum gases 1910.219 16 Mechanical power-transmission apparatus 1910.133 15 Eye and face protection 1910.141 14 Sanitation Source: From Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. Available at http:==www.osha.gov. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. associations, unions, and vocational schools. Many companies have specific curri- cula on safety and procedural issues, as well as on occupational duties. 4.4 APPLICABLE OSHA REGULATIONS One of the best ways to understand the hazards faced by utility workers is to see the types of violations that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has found during their inspections of the workplace. These violations provide another way of targeting hazards that have the potential to cause injury, illness, and death of workers. As can be seen from the 30 most frequently cited violations, OSHA cites this industry under the general industry standard (29 CFR 1910) (Table 4.7). Although the violations cited in Table 4.7 were the 30 most frequently issued violations, OSHA has cited other hazards with less frequency. Some of these are as follows: . Woodworking machinery . Overhead cranes and gantry cranes . Hazardous waste operations and emergency response . Hand protection . Asbestos . Portable metal ladders . Emergency action plans . Fixed industrial stairs . Hand and portable power tools . Arc welding and cutting . Occupational noise exposure . Compressed gases . Foot protection With the hazards faced by this sector, it is imperative that safety and health be an integral part of doing business and with the specific purpose of protecting its employees. REFERENCES Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2005. Available at http:==bls.gov. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in 2004. Available at http:==bls.gov. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. Available at http:==www.osha.gov. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. . (lockout=tagout) 19 04. 29 49 Forms 5A1 45 General duty clause 1910.1 34 44 Respiratory protection 1910.151 44 Medical services and first aid 1910.1030 44 Bloodborne pathogens 19 04. 41 39 Annual OSHA injury and illness. environment. (Safety and health for office workers is covered in Industrial Safety and Health for Administrative Services. ) Laborers and hand freight, stock, and material movers help load and unload freight. value-added services are sorting bulk goods into customized lots, packaging and repackaging goods, controlling and managing Warehouses are containers for the transfer and storage of goods and materials. ß