Making holiday work safe for everyone

The holiday season is here, and many of us look forward to spending time with family and friends, sharing festive meals and finding the perfect gifts. But behind the scenes, thousands of workers at farms, meatpacking facilities, warehouses, grocery stores, package delivery and retail stores are making sure you have what you need.

These individuals are the backbone of the season, helping put a smile on your family's faces during the holidays. Yet, too often, their hard work comes at a high cost.

Many workers handling and delivering our gifts, holiday decorations and other seasonal items are at risk of workplace injuries. In 2023, there were 170 severe injuries reported in the general warehousing and storage industry, including 152 hospitalizations and 32 amputations.

At that rate, about 15 people who work in warehouses will suffer a severe injury between now and the end of the year, 12 will be hospitalized and three will suffer an amputation.

Even more sobering is the number of worker fatalities. Every day, an average of 15 workers are fatally injured on the job nationwide across all industries, which means about 5,000 people who joined their families at the holidays last year won't make it home this season.

This is a sad truth during a season of joy.

No one should have to risk their life or health to do their job. Employers, you have a responsibility to keep your workers safe. Here are a few simple steps to make your workplace safer this holiday season:

• Train workers - Make sure everyone knows how to do their job safely, including how to use protective equipment and handle hazards.
• Provide safety equipment - Give workers the personal protective equipment they need such as gloves, safety helmets, high-visibility clothing, hearing protection and emergency kits.
• Fix hazards quickly - Look for hazards such as blocked exits or broken equipment and fix them as soon as possible.
• Limit work hours - Long hours lead to fatigue, and tired workers are at risk of getting hurt or worse. Examine staffing issues and arrange schedules to allow for frequent rest breaks.
• Encourage Reporting - Create a safety culture where workers feel comfortable speaking up about safety issues without fear of punishment.

Workers, your safety matters. You have the right to a safe workplace. Here's what you should know:

• Know your rights - You can refuse hazardous work if it puts your life in danger.
• Report hazards - Tell your supervisor if something at work is unsafe. If you have questions or need help, visit osha.gov or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742). If your employer isn't fixing unsafe conditions, you can report it to OSHA. It's confidential.
• Take care of yourself - Fatigue can lead to incidents. Get rest when you can to help you stay alert at work.

Everyone has the right to celebrate this season with the people they love. During this holiday season, we urge all employers to do more to protect their workers. Because the best gift you can give them and their families is ensuring they return home safely.

Learn more at OSHA's holiday workplace safety page.

Tonya Ford is the national family liaison for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Follow OSHA on X at @OSHA_DOL and on LinkedIn.