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Warehousing

Introduction

This page provides occupational health and safety guidance for the storage and warehousing industry. It is aimed at both employers and employees of those in the storage and warehousing industry, as well as those who work at or around warehouses in the course of their jobs, such as hauliers and couriers.

These pages will help you understand:

  • which topics are the main causes of injury and ill health in storage and warehousing;
  • where to get useful guidance on how to manage these risks;
  • the role of HSE in the storage and warehousing industry; and
  • how to manage health and safety in warehouses to ensure compliance with legal requirements.

Accidents in storage and warehousing

In 2009/10 the storage, warehousing and road haulage industries reported over 8500 work related accidents to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Local Authorities. Almost 1600 of these accidents were classified as major injuries such as fractures and amputations.

Resources

The free short guide 'Warehousing and storage ‘Keep it safe’ INDG412 (PDF) [20]has been produced to help those involved in warehousing and storage reduce the number of injuries and cases of occupational ill health. Use the link to download the leaflet.

A more comprehensive guide Warehousing and storage: A guide to health and safety' HSG76[21] is also available to buy in hard copy, or to download for free. Though in parts specific to specialist sites (eg temperature-controlled or dangerous substance storage) the majority of the book's focus applies right across the sector regardless of facility or size. Many special attention topics, such as manual handling, musculoskeletal awareness, mechanical handling, site transport and working at height plus more, are covered in detail but the broader emphasis is on responsible warehouse practices, general prevention of avoidable risks and hazards and attendant information of accident and emergency procedures.

Find out more:

Please note that these links will take you away from the Logistics web pages.

Link URLs in this page

  1. Logisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/index.htm
  2. Overview - Haulage and distributionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/haulage-distribution.htm
  3. Lorries in the workplace https://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/lorries.htm
  4. Falls from vehicles https://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/falls-from-vehicles.htm
  5. Load security https://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/load-security.htm
  6. Car transporters https://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/car-transporters.htm
  7. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/slips-trips.htm
  8. Icy conditions and winter weatherhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/slips-trips-bad-weather.htm
  9. Overview - Warehousinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/warehousing.htm
  10. Manual handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/manual-handling.htm
  11. Hit by a moving vehiclehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/hit-by-moving-vehicle.htm
  12. Frequently asked questionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/faqs.htm
  13. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/resources.htm
  14. Case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/case-studies.htm
  15. Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/publications.htm
  16. Researchhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/research.htm
  17. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/statistics.htm
  18. Useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/useful-links.htm
  19. Contact ushttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/contact-us.htm
  20. 'Warehousing and storage ‘Keep it safe’ INDG412 https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg412.pdf
  21. Warehousing and storage: A guide to health and safety' HSG76https://books.hse.gov.uk/hse/public/saleproduct.jsf?catalogueCode=9780717662258
  22. Slips and tripshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/index.htm
  23. Manual handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/index.htm
  24. Falls from heighthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/index.htm
  25. Being hit by a moving vehiclehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/index.htm
  26. INDG398 - Are you making the best use of lifting and handling aids?https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg398.pdf
  27. INDG412 - Warehousing and storage - keep it safehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg412.pdf
  28. HSG76 - Warehousing and storage - A guide to health and safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg76.htm
  29. Workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/index.htm
  30. Carriage of dangerous goodshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/cdg/index.htm
  31. Motor vehicle repairhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/index.htm
  32. Work related road safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/roadsafety/index.htm
  33. Manual handling assessment charts (MAC tool)https://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/mac/index.htm
  34. Work at heighthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/index.htm
  35. Slips and tripshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/index.htm
  36. Industrieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/guidance/industries.htm
  37. Guidance on legionella in metal working fluidshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/metalworking/legionella.htm

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2023-09-12