Federal OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has launched a national program designed to protect the nation's warehouse workers from hazards related to powered industrial vehicle operations, material handling and storage, walking and working surfaces, means of egress and fire protection, as well as heat and ergonomic hazards.
OSHA noted ‘in the past 10 years, warehousing and distribution centres have experienced tremendous growth with more than 1.9 million people employed in the industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows injury and illness rates for these establishments are higher than in private industry overall and, in some sectors, more than twice the rate of private industry.’
In Congressional testimony, Sheheryar Kaoosji, Executive Director, Warehouse Worker Resource Center, Ontario, California, described heat hazards in warehouses.
Source: Confined Space
