Top risks in food and beverage wholesale distribution: Protect your workplace and team with these safety resources

March 25, 2025

Jessica Bowes

Male and female workers using digital tablet while checking crates of lettuce in warehouse.

Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) is a not-for-profit occupational health and safety association committed to ensuring every worker goes home healthy and safe at the end of the day. As your dedicated health and safety association for the food and beverage wholesale distribution industry, we are here to help with resources and support.

The food and beverage wholesale distribution industry and partners are working with WSPS to develop solutions that address the top risks in this sector. In a recent study, this group identified the top 10 risks in the food and beverage wholesale. Find out what these risks are and how you can protect your business with the resources below.

Top 10 risks in food and beverage wholesale distribution: Resources and training

Click on a hazard to learn more and access health and safety resources and training.

Musculoskeletal Disorders
Employee behaviour – low-risk perception
Slips, Trips and Falls
Struck Against Racking – head impacts on racking
Pedestrian Safety (indoor) – struck-by material handling equipment
Fatigue and Stress
Temporary Workers – 3rd party agency employees
Motor Vehicle Incidents – during the transportation of goods
Moving pallets in and out of racking
Powered Material Handling Equipment Collisions – with fixed structures/objects

Musculoskeletal Disorders and Manual Material Handling

Worker stacking organic tomatoes in boxes at agricultural manufacturing workplace.

Manual material handling involves moving materials and goods by carrying, holding, lifting, pulling, pushing, and bending. Repetitive movements, incorrect lifting techniques, fatigue, rushing, and awkward postures can increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). MSDs are different aches and pains affecting the musculoskeletal system (muscles, tendons, and nerves) and make up almost half of all compensation claims in Ontario. Common MSDs include back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tendonitis. Untreated MSDs can result in lifelong disabilities. Implementing effective controls for manual material handling can reduce these risks and help businesses operate efficiently.

Resources

Resources from the Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD)

CRE-MSD conducts research to improve the understanding of and prevention of work-related MSDs. Check out their resources below.

Training and consulting

Safe Lifting & Manual Materials Handling (1/2 day, online instructor-led training)
Safe Lifting & Manual Materials Handling - Supervisor (1 hour, online instructor-led training)
Manual Materials Handling (1 hour, eCourse)
Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) Prevention Awareness (1 hour, eCourse)
Ergonomics Consulting - WSPS experts will work with you and your staff to find personalized, cost-effective solutions to improve your work environment, protect your employees and your bottom line.

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Healthy Workplaces and Mental Health

Poor mental health at work can cause physical symptoms like headaches and psychological issues like depression, fatigue, and anxiety. This can lead to more sick days, trouble concentrating, more accidents, and lower productivity. Temporary workers and worker fatigue are common in many businesses. The risk of injuries and incidents rises when workers are tired, new, or unfamiliar with the workplace.

Creating a healthy workplace that includes a positive culture, physical environment, employee well-being, psychological safety, and community involvement is a smart business move. It shows a commitment to workers' well-being, reduces risks and costs, and boosts competitive advantage. Organizations can keep all workers healthy and safe by implementing effective workplace policies and procedures, strong communication and training strategies, and fostering an inclusive environment.

Resources

Training and Consulting

Psychological Health and Safety Awareness (eCourse, 20 minutes)
Psychological Health and Safety for Workers (eCourse, 1 hour)
Leading for Psychological Safety in Challenging Times (Online Instructor-Led Training, 1 day)
Stress in the Workplace (eCourse, 1 hour). Also available in French.
Workplace Mental Health: How Managers Should Respond (Online Instructor-Led Training, 4 hours)
Workplace Mental Health: What Health and Safety Committees Should Know (Online Instructor-Led Training, 1 day)
Reducing Mental Health Stigma in the Workplace (eCourse, 30 minutes)
Consulting - Connect with WSPS experts to develop a healthy workplace program or a violence, and harassment prevention program.

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Mechanical Material Handling and Pedestrian Safety

A busy warehouse.

Mechanical material handling involves transporting, positioning, storing, and manipulating materials within a facility or between different locations using motorized or non-motorized equipment. Key components of these systems include conveyors, lifts, cranes, hoists, and other automated or semiautomated equipment. Mobile equipment like lift trucks and vehicles working near pedestrians can put workers at risk. These risks can lead to serious injuries or death. These incidents can also cause property damage, downtime, and expensive fines for your business.

Reducing the risks of mechanical material handling through control measures improves efficiency, reduces manual labour, minimizes errors, and enhances productivity. Controlling workplace traffic-related hazards mitigates the potential harm to pedestrians in warehouse environments. An organized warehouse, with a defined traffic flow, also encourages productivity and has a positive bottom-line impact.

Resources

Safety Checklists

Training and Consulting

Contact WSPS for training options including forklift safety, overhead and mobile crane training and more.
Consulting - Our warehousing consultants can help you identify and assess hazards and develop a traffic management and pedestrian safety system tailored to your workplace. Connect with a consultant.

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Slips, Trips and Falls

Image of a worker about to fall due to debris left on a warehouse floor.

Slips, trips, and falls are common workplace injuries. A good housekeeping program, including quick spill clean-ups, can help reduce the risk of injury. Injuries caused by slips, trips and falls are a leading cause of missed time at work and can occur at any workplace. Effective work plans, policies and programs should be developed collaboratively with workers to ensure ladders, fixed and portable anchoring points for structures, machinery and other platforms are in place and inspected regularly, through a preventive maintenance program.

Resources