THE SECRET LINK TO BUSINESS SUCCESS AND OCCUPATIONAL WELLNESS

Would you have ever imagined that Amazon, the eCommerce leader has a record number of accidents among its workers in its CEDIS (Distribution centers by its Spanish acronym)?

Safety in distribution centers and warehouses is of utmost importance, since more than 7,000 accidents occur annually while performing storage tasks or activities related to transportation.

There are several reasons why accidents in warehouses have increased, one of them is due to the fact that warehouses used to be located in the outskirts of the city, so the space was much larger, today the trend is upwards with CEDIS in urban areas that facilitate the reach of the goods to the different points of sale, so they are smaller spaces and with greater confinement, which can sometimes cause them to be more susceptible to injuries inside them.

Another problem that has been observed is the lack of training in temporary hiring for seasons or high peaks. In many cases, companies omit, due to time and cost issues, the proper training of evacuation routes and the rules to be followed within the warehouses to those workers who will be temporary, since they do not believe it is necessary to invest time and resources in them, since they are not permanent employees. However, the injuries that workers and merchandise can suffer because of avoiding such training can be much more costly and time consuming than the training itself, without considering that these accidents damage the company's reputation.

However, the main cause of accidents in distribution centers is the speed at which employees must work.

Once again, technology has been a key factor in solving this obstacle. Warehouse robotization and automation has helped mitigate accidents, however there is still a long way to go in the technological evolution for delivery of goods and safety within CEDIS.

How to mitigate injuries in CEDIS and increase safety in CEDIS?

• Have good lighting and ventilation within the distribution center.
• Have unobstructed, marked exits with mandatory safety measures.
• Have a clean and organized warehouse.
• Maintain machinery in good condition, which includes checking and maintaining it to ensure its perfect condition and optimal operation.
• Follow safety standards within the CEDIS.
• Provide personnel with protective equipment and make its use mandatory during their stay at the distribution center.
• Train temporary and permanent workers on safety measures, standards and speed at which they work within the center.

Did you know? In 2019, there were 5.9 serious injuries per 100 workers in Amazon warehouses, which caused them to miss work entirely. This figure represents nearly 80% more than all other warehouses in the industry.

That is why promoting and prioritizing safety within distribution centers is fundamental to a company's performance. Human capital is a company's most valuable resource; prioritizing worker safety will enable organizations to achieve excellent results.

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