General information only.

Warehouse Associate — A Day in the Life

This page describes what the work is like, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and OSHA. It is a composite picture of the job. It is not any one company's shift.

🔊 Listen to this page Stop listening

1. What this job is, in plain words

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) covers this kind of work in its profile for hand laborers and material movers.

These workers manually move freight, stock, or other materials.

Two types named in that profile do much of the warehouse work.

One type is laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, by hand.

The other type is stockers and order fillers.

The sections below pull the day's work from those two types, plus the packing work BLS lists for hand packers and packagers.

2. Receiving goods

Stockers and order fillers receive, unpack, and track merchandise.

They inspect for damaged goods.

They keep a record of items that enter or leave their location.

3. Moving and sorting goods

Hand laborers and material movers manually move or sort goods according to plan or schedule.

Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers move materials to and from storage and production areas, loading docks, delivery trucks, ships, and containers.

Some workers retrieve products from storage and move them to loading areas.

When moving a package, these workers keep track of the package number, sometimes with a hand-held scanner, to ensure proper delivery.

Workers also signal machine operators to help move goods.

4. Picking orders

Stockers move products from a stockroom or warehouse to fill shelves, racks, tables, or customers' orders.

Order fillers retrieve customer orders and prepare them to be shipped.

OSHA names three kinds of materials handling operations in warehouses.

They are receiving and shipping unit loads, case picking, and item picking.

In item picking, OSHA states that workers consolidate orders and then place them in a bag or box for shipping.

5. Packing and labeling

Hand laborers and material movers pack or wrap products by hand.

Hand packers and packagers package a variety of products and materials by hand.

They may label cartons.

They may inspect items for defects.

They keep records of items packed.

Some of these workers pack items for shipment and move them to a loading dock.

6. Loading, and other tasks on the list

Some workers load and unload cargo from a truck.

BLS also lists these general duties for hand laborers and material movers.

They keep a record of the goods they move, package, or sort.

They clean vehicles, machinery, and other equipment.

In warehouses and in wholesale and retail operations, BLS states that these workers work closely with material moving machine operators and material recording clerks.

7. Where the work happens, and when

Hand laborers and material movers work in stockrooms, warehouses, manufacturing plants, and other settings.

OSHA states that the warehousing and storage industry includes establishments operating facilities for general merchandise, refrigerated goods, and other products.

OSHA also states that these establishments may provide logistical services relating to goods distribution.

Most hand laborers and material movers work full time, although part-time work is common.

Work schedules vary and may include nights and weekends.

8. How physical the work is

These workers lift and carry heavy objects.

BLS states that their work is usually repetitive and physically demanding.

They also might need to bend, kneel, crouch, or crawl in awkward positions.

BLS lists physical stamina as an important quality.

That means the endurance to perform strenuous tasks, such as moving or cleaning objects, throughout the day.

BLS also lists physical strength.

Some of these workers must be able to lift and carry heavy objects.

OSHA gives one weight picture for case picking.

OSHA states that, in case picking, cases weigh from a few pounds to over 100 pounds.

9. Injury risks named by BLS and OSHA

BLS states that hand laborers and freight, stock, and material movers have some of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations.

BLS states that moving heavy objects around warehouses or onto trucks may lead to sprains, strains, or overexertion.

OSHA states that the most common injuries in warehousing are musculoskeletal disorders, mainly from overexertion in lifting and lowering.

OSHA also names being struck by powered industrial trucks and other materials handling equipment as a most common injury.

OSHA lists potential hazards in this industry.

They include powered industrial trucks (forklifts), ergonomics, material handling, hazardous chemicals, slip, trip, and falls, and robotics.

OSHA's Worker Safety Series for warehousing lists potential hazards in its own words.

They are unsafe use of forklifts, improper stacking of products, failure to use proper personal protective equipment, failure to follow proper lockout/tagout procedures, inadequate fire safety provisions, and repetitive motion injuries.

10. Ergonomics: strain from the way the work is done

OSHA states that warehousing workers may be exposed to ergonomic risk factors.

OSHA lists lifting and lowering heavy items, bending, reaching overhead, pushing and pulling heavy loads, working in awkward body postures, and performing the same or similar tasks repetitively.

OSHA states that exposure to these risk factors increases workers' risks of musculoskeletal disorders.

OSHA names muscle strains, lower back and shoulder injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tendinitis as examples.

OSHA defines ergonomics as the science of fitting jobs to people.

OSHA also states that stress and fatigue associated with a fast work pace can make musculoskeletal disorders worse.

The OSHA Worker Safety Series states the manual lifting hazard this way: back injuries may occur from improper lifting or overexertion.

It states the poor ergonomics hazard this way: improper lifting, repetitive motion, or poor design of operations can lead to musculoskeletal disorders in workers.

11. Forklifts, conveyors, heat, and cold

OSHA states that only trained and certified workers may operate a forklift.

OSHA states that no one under the age of 18 may use a forklift.

OSHA's Worker Safety Series gives the same training point as a solution: train, evaluate, and certify all operators to ensure that they can operate forklifts safely.

For conveyors, the Worker Safety Series states that workers can be injured when they are caught in pinch points, are hit by falling products or materials, or develop musculoskeletal disorders associated with awkward postures or repetitive motions.

OSHA states that heat illness can affect warehousing workers performing physical work in high ambient heat, especially if the facility is also humid and not climate controlled.

OSHA states that refrigerated warehousing is the storage of temperature controlled product, that temperatures are usually less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and that they can be subzero.

OSHA states that workers working in cold conditions may be at risk of cold stress, including hypothermia and frostbite.

12. What it takes to start

BLS states that there are usually no formal educational requirements to become a hand laborer or material mover.

The BLS Quick Facts list the typical entry-level education as no formal educational credential.

The BLS Quick Facts list work experience in a related occupation as none.

Workers typically learn through on-the-job training that lasts 1 month or less.

Some workers might need only a few days of training, while others may need up to 1 month.

New employees may shadow an experienced worker as they learn basic job duties and how to safely use equipment.

Workers learn safety rules as part of their training.

BLS states that many of these rules are standardized through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

13. Qualities BLS says the work takes

BLS lists detail oriented as an important quality.

These workers must pay attention to detail when packing orders and tracking goods moved.

BLS lists hand-eye coordination.

Most of these workers use their arms and hands to manipulate objects or move objects into specific positions.

BLS lists listening skills.

These workers follow instructions that a supervisor gives them.

BLS also lists the physical stamina and physical strength described in section 8.

14. What this page does not do

This page does not give pay figures.

This page does not promise a job or a hire.

It only describes what the work is like, using the BLS and OSHA pages named below.

Sources

General information only.