Logistics and warehouse safety: what supervisors need to know

Where people get hurt

Transportation and storage had seven workplace deaths in 2025, according to MOM's national statistics. Four were in logistics and transport. All seven came from incidents with a high risk of death. Across all sectors, vehicle incidents caused 15 of the 36 deaths, more than any other cause.

Serious injuries rose. Logistics and transport had 47 major injuries in 2025, up from 35. Its major injury rate climbed from 29.9 to 40.6 per 100,000 workers. Slips, trips and falls were the top cause. Being struck by falling objects came second. Work-related back and joint disorders in logistics also rose, from 13 cases to 25.

The hazards to plan for

• Forklifts, reach trucks, pallet movers and lorries working near people on foot.
• Reversing vehicles at loading bays and container yards.
• Loads falling from racks, stacks, pallets and forks.
• Slips and trips on wet floors, loose shrink-wrap and broken pallets.
• Falls from loading docks, lorry beds, ladders and mezzanines.
• Lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling heavy or awkward goods.
• Conveyors, balers and automated storage systems with moving parts.

What the rules require in Singapore

The WSH (Risk Management) Regulations require employers and principals to assess risks before work starts, including traffic on site. Occupiers must keep the workplace and the routes in and out of it safe (MOM).

• Forklift drivers in a factory must complete Operate Forklift, under paragraph 2(8) of the Factories (Safety Training Courses) Order (MOM course list).
• Manual workers in logistics and transport have their own course, Apply WSH in Logistics and Transportation. MOM links it to the employer's duty to train under section 12(3)(e) of the WSH Act (MOM course list).
• The WSH Council forklift guidelines say only trained, authorised operators may drive.
• Drivers of road vehicles need a valid Singapore licence for their class of vehicle (WSH Council traffic guidelines).
• The WSH (General Provisions) Regulations require goods to be stored so they do not block passageways, traffic lanes, lighting, sprinklers or firefighting equipment (WSH Council housekeeping guidelines).
• Reportable injuries go to MOM within the set time (MOM).

Order of controls for traffic

Design people out of vehicle routes first. Use separate doors for pedestrians and vehicles. Mark one-way routes so forklifts do not reverse often. Fence walkways with barriers, not just paint.

Next, add engineering controls such as mirrors, speed limiters, blue spot lights and reversing alarms. Then set rules: speed limits, no-go zones at loading bays and a banksman for reversing lorries. High-visibility clothing and safety shoes come last. They help people be seen, but they do not stop a forklift.

Racking, storage and falling loads

The WSH Council guidelines for logistics say stored goods must sit on firm ground, be stable and stay within the load rating of floors and shelves. Do not store loose items or liquids up high.

• Mark the safe working load on every rack bay.
• Report and offload any bay with a bent upright or missing beam lock.
• Store heavy goods low and light goods high.
• Check wrapping and strapping before a pallet goes up.
• Never let anyone stand under a raised load or ride on the forks.

Manual handling and loading bays

Pickers and drivers lift all day. Use pallet jacks, trolleys, conveyors and lift tables. Put the heaviest goods between knee and shoulder height. SS 569, the code of practice for manual handling, gives recommended lifting limits (MOM FAQ).

At the loading bay, chock or restrain the lorry before a forklift drives onto it. Use dock levellers in good repair. Keep the dock edge clear and marked. Check that the lorry floor can take the forklift's weight.

Common mistakes

• Letting a warehouse assistant drive the forklift "just once" without training.
• Painted walkways with no barrier, where forklifts cut across.
• Carrying a load high so the driver cannot see ahead.
• Lorries driving off while a forklift is still on the bed.
• Damaged racking left in use because the bay is full.
• Staff walking behind reversing vehicles with earphones in.

Related topics on this site

• Vehicles and danger zones, and Falling objects.
• Manual handling, Slips and trips, and Ladders.
• Machinery safety for conveyors, balers and automated systems.
• Heat stress, Fatigue and PPE.
• Fire and emergency, and Risk assessment.

In other countries

• Malaysia: Section 18B of Act 514 requires every employer, self-employed person and principal to assess the risks of their work. Where the assessment calls for controls, they must put them in place. Section 30 requires a safety and health committee where 40 or more people work.

Sources

1. Workplace Safety and Health Report 2025: National Statistics, Ministry of Manpower.
2. Workplace Safety and Health (Risk Management) Regulations, Singapore Statutes Online.
3. WSH Act: responsibilities of stakeholders, Ministry of Manpower.
4. List of Workplace Safety and Health courses (updated 18 March 2025), Ministry of Manpower.
5. WSH Guidelines on Safe Operation of Forklift Trucks, WSH Council.
6. Circular: Mandating forklift operator refresher training course (3 January 2025), Ministry of Manpower.
7. Workplace Traffic Safety Management Guidelines, WSH Council.
8. WSH Guidelines: Service allied to the transport of goods, WSH Council.
9. WSH Guidelines on Workplace Housekeeping, WSH Council.
10. Is there a safe load reference for manual handling?, Ministry of Manpower.
11. Work accident reporting: what and when to report, Ministry of Manpower.
12. Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514), updated text to 1 June 2024, DOSH Malaysia.

This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Laws and codes of practice change; always check the current official text and your site's own procedures.