When people think of dangerous workplaces, they often picture construction sites or heavy industry.

But over the years, walking through warehouses across South Africa, I’ve seen that some of the most serious risks often lie behind the racks, forklifts, and pallets.

Warehouses may look controlled and organised from the outside, but I’ve witnessed first-hand how a single overlooked mistake can bring a business to its knees or worse, cost someone their life.

Unsafe Stacking: A Collapse Waiting to Happen

I will never forget walking into a warehouse where boxes were stacked almost to the ceiling, with no supports and no regard for weight distribution. Workers were balancing on the lower stacks, climbing up just to pull items down.

One morning, the inevitable happened. A stack gave way and collapsed right next to an emergency exit. Fortunately, no one was standing in the path, but the sound of crashing boxes shook the whole team. Had a worker been there, the outcome would have been fatal.

That day reinforced something I always say: stacking is not about saving space, it’s about saving lives.

Forklift Operations: Treated Like a Shortcut

Forklifts are one of the most powerful pieces of equipment in a warehouse. Yet I’ve often seen them treated as if anyone can drive them. In one company, I discovered an employee who was “just helping out” by moving pallets with a forklift unlicensed, untrained, and unaware of the blind spots.

Minutes later, he reversed straight into shelving, causing stock damage worth thousands. That time, no one was in the walkway. But imagine if it was a person instead of boxes. Unfortunately, they did have financial damage.

The truth is simple: a forklift without training is a weapon, not a tool.

The Small Things That Become Big Accidents

It may sound small, but poor housekeeping kills. I have walked through warehouses where spills on the floor were ignored, where plastic wrapping was left lying in walkways, and where fire exits were blocked with stock.

Safety on Paper vs Safety in Practice

Another dangerous mistake I’ve encountered is treating safety files as “just paperwork.” Risk assessments, evacuation plans, and compliance documents often look perfect in the file but on the floor, reality tells a different story.

I once conducted an evacuation drill where not a single employee knew which exit to use. On paper, the procedure was flawless. In practice, it failed completely. Safety is not about paperwork it’s about people.

The Human Cost

Families suffer, teams lose confidence, and businesses carry financial and reputational damage that lasts for years.

I have seen companies learn the hard way, realising too late that safety must be lived daily, not left in a file. The real difference comes from consistent training, daily toolbox talks, and leaders who take safety seriously.

Final Word

The truth is, every warehouse accident I’ve investigated could have been prevented. Unsafe stacking, forklift misuse, blocked fire exits none of these are unpredictable.

Safety is not about ticking boxes to pass an audit. It is about protecting lives, families, and futures. The cost of prevention is always less than the cost of regret.

— M. Marinschek