The Seasonal Surge: What’s Driving the Frenzy?
The holidays bring sparkle and cheer, but also a whirlwind of activity behind the scenes. According to the Logistics Managers’ Index (LMI), December 2024’s index value was recorded at 57.3, signaling strong logistics growth. Warehousing capacity and utilization soared above 61, indicating warehouses were packed and buzzing with activity.
Consumer Spending and the Safety Trade-Off
What’s fueling this frenzy? Holiday shopping. With Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and year-end deals, consumers are swiping their cards. Mastercard reports spending jumped 3.8% year-over-year, with e-commerce up 6.7%. Increased purchases and demands led to longer shifts, faster pace, and heavier lifting. And with surges comes risk: 42% of companies see more workplace incidents during the holidays and 72% of warehouse workers worry about safety during peak season.
OSHA Steps In: Holiday Safety Guidance
To help employers and workers prepare for the holiday surge, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released its official Holiday Safety Page. This resource offers guidance to keep employees safe in retail, warehousing, delivery, and other seasonal roles. Key topics include ergonomics for order fulfillment, forklift and warehouse safety, winter driving precautions, crowd management for retail events, and preventing workplace violence in late-night settings. Additional resources cover temporary and seasonal worker safety, stress management, and protection for young workers.
A focus on safety isn’t new. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a settlement with Amazon, requiring corporate-wide ergonomic measures across its facilities. The agreement mandates annual risk assessments and fixes to prevent musculoskeletal disorders, injuries often leading to costly workers’ compensation claims.
Safety as a Business Strategy
December’s logistics surge makes holiday safety a business-critical priority. Failing to address these risks can lead to costly workers’ compensation claims, impacting both financial and operational stability. OSHA’s guidance and the Amazon settlement show proactive measures not only protect workers but also reduce workers’ compensation exposure. Investing in safety during peak season is a win for employees and employers alike.