FACTS

1. Loading dock injuries not only cause serious harm to trusted employees, but also cost companies millions of dollars every year in workplace compensation payments, lower productivity levels, and lost employee time.
2. One of the most common types of injuries in loading docks is unexpected falls by individuals and forklift operators. Many warehouses are not climate-controlled and opening the loading dock door is often necessary to improve ventilation.
3. A common loading dock injury cause is trailer creep. This occurs when trucks separate from the loading dock leading to falls and potentially dangerous accidents with warehouse workers.
4. Carbon monoxide poisoning is another serious health danger for your workforce. This colorless and odorless gas is present in vehicle exhaust fumes and can lead to serious health problems, including death.
5. Dock workers often suffer from serious muscle and bone problems that come from repetitive lifting and carrying heavy objects as they load and unload objects.

STATS

• Thousands of workers are seriously hurt each year in loading dock accidents.
• In 2018, there were also more than 200,000 reported warehouse employee injuries, many attributed to industrial accidents on or near the loading dock. Injured employees also mean more downtime and days unable to work.
• Nearly 6,600 people missed work because of injuries and illnesses incurred on loading docks, dock plates and ramps.”
• Twenty-five percent of all industrial accidents occur at the loading dock. And for each accident that occurs, there are about 600 near-misses.
• In 2017, there were 270,000 injuries reported in the transportation and warehousing industry. The same industry also saw 819 deaths, a number only surpassed by the construction industry. The number of preventable fatal work injuries in transportation and warehousing grew 5.3% from 2016 to 2017.