Warehouse work is undeniably hard on the body, and those who make their living working in a California warehouse often experience aches and pains on a regular basis. While many different factors contribute to warehouse worker injuries, studies show that the pace of work inside a warehouse is a big one.
According to Business Insider, some warehouse employers require that their workers perform at a far faster pace than others. However, by increasing efficiency, many warehouse workers are also increasing injury risks.
How pace of work impacts injury rates
Inspections performed at facilities operated by one of the nation’s leading warehouse employers revealed a clear and obvious connection between the fast pace of work in those warehouses and how likely those workers were to hurt themselves on the job. Workers employed by that company were twice as likely as warehouse workers employed by other entities to suffer an injury severe enough to keep them out of work. They were also four times as likely as warehouse workers who work for other employers to suffer strains and sprains on the job.
Why employers force employees to work fast
Many warehouse employees who perform at a fast pace say that they do so because their employer requires it of them. Many also report facing disciplinary measures for failing to perform at the requested pace. The big-name warehouse employer also sets productivity targets to encourage efficient work, although many employees say it does so while placing their safety at risk.
The faster a warehouse employee performs, the more likely he is to suffer a serious on-the-job injury.