As we head into the holiday season and the nation’s warehouses buzz with activity, Ronald Leibman, leader of McCarter’s Logistics & Supply Chain Practice, speaks with Forbes about the risks and rewards of automating warehouse processes, and the potential for injuries.
“Operating powered industrial equipment can be dangerous, just as operating an automobile is dangerous,” Leibman said. “Both are currently necessary though. In both cases, training and proper operation acts as a risk mitigator.” Leibman discussed mandated OSHA training for powered industrial equipment, which includes certification procedures to assure that only qualified persons are operating the equipment. “The question to ask then,” Leibman explains, “is what percentage of accidents are caused by improper or no training and/or driver negligence versus the inherent nature of the task?”