Warehouse Safety: How to Prepare Your Workplace for Peak Season

Peak season changes a warehouse. More orders come in during peak season. Product moves faster through the building, and more people work on the floor to keep up. None of that is a problem on its own. What causes trouble is when the pace picks up faster than the safety program does.

This article covers what changes when warehouse volume climbs. It also highlights hazards to watch for and practical steps to keep a busy warehouse safe.

Why Warehouse Safety Matters During Peak Season

Increased Order Volumes and Material Movement

More orders mean more product coming in, more product going out, and more handling in between. Pallets get staged in aisles that are normally kept clear. Overflow inventory ends up in spots that were not planned for storage. These changes are common during peak season. However, they can create new trip hazards and block sightlines. Often, no one realizes these risks have developed.

Increased Forklift and Mobile Equipment Activity

Higher volume usually means forklifts and pallet jacks running more often and covering more ground. That raises the number of times equipment and pedestrians cross paths in a shift. Aisles that feel wide enough in a slower month can start to feel tight once traffic doubles.

Temporary and Seasonal Workers

Peak season is often when a warehouse brings in temporary or seasonal staff to cover the added volume. These workers may be unfamiliar with the site’s traffic routes and pedestrian walkways. They may not know how specific equipment operates or which safety procedures apply to unfamiliar tasks. During busy periods, unfamiliarity can contribute to workplace incidents. The issue is not that seasonal workers are careless. Rather, they are still learning the environment.

Employers often overlook this legal requirement when hiring. Ontario Regulation 297/13 sets out two training requirements for employers. Every worker must complete basic occupational health and safety awareness training as soon as practicable. Every supervisor must also complete a supervisor awareness program. The regulation applies to all workers regardless of employment status, which includes temporary, seasonal and casual staff. There is no probationary grace period and no small-employer exemption. Section 4 of that regulation also requires the employer to maintain a record of the training completed.

A further point worth checking before you hire. Section 9 requires a Joint Health and Safety Committee at workplaces with 20 or more regular employees. The committee must have at least two certified members: one representing workers and one representing management. A warehouse that usually operates below this threshold may cross it during a seasonal ramp-up. Since certification requires two courses, employers cannot arrange it in a week.

Faster Work Pace and Changing Workplace Conditions

When orders pile up, workers may take shortcuts to save time. They might skip pre-shift equipment checks, reach for items instead of using a step stool, or walk through blocked aisles. During peak season, staging areas expand and workers may need to rearrange storage quickly. A workplace that was safe in October can look different in November.

Common Warehouse Safety Hazards to Review Before Peak Season

Material Handling Hazards

Manual material handling is a common source of warehouse injuries. During peak season, workers handle more materials at a faster pace, increasing existing risks. Watch for workers lifting unusually heavy or awkward loads. Repeated lifting over long periods can also increase risk. Check whether workers have the equipment they need to handle products safely.

Clause 45(a) of Regulation 851 requires employers to protect workers during material handling. They must ensure that workers lift, carry, and move materials safely, using appropriate precautions and safeguards. Review how workers lift, carry, and set down materials. Make sure mechanical aids, such as hand trucks and lift tables, are available and used correctly.

Forklifts and Mobile Equipment

More forklift trips increase the risk of collisions with pedestrians. Both may enter the same aisle at the same time. Forklift safety becomes more challenging as congestion builds. Intersections, staging areas, and loading doors are key risk points where equipment and pedestrians cross paths.

Clause 51(2)(a) of Regulation 851 requires a competent person to operate a lifting device. Section 1(1) of the Act defines competency through knowledge, training, and experience. It also requires familiarity with applicable regulations and awareness of workplace hazards. The third limb is the one peak season puts pressure on. An operator may be competent on your floor during a quiet month. However, narrower aisles and heavier traffic can change the working environment. Temporary operators may know the equipment but lack familiarity with your site.

Check visibility at blind corners as inventory levels change. Make sure operators follow speed limits and complete pre-shift inspections, even when work pressure increases.

Peak-Season Racking and Storage Risks

Storage systems take more strain during peak season simply because more product is moving through them. Workers may place loads unevenly. Mobile equipment may bump into racking more often. Workers may also stack overflow products in ways that exceed the storage system’s design limits.

Clause 5(b) of Regulation 851 sets out material storage requirements. Materials must not tip, collapse, or fall. Workers must also be able to remove them safely. Clause 45(c) also requires workers to remove materials safely from storage areas, piles, and racks. Section 46 requires employers to secure machinery, equipment, or materials that may tip or fall.

When Is a PSR Required?

Warehouses must also consider Pre-Start Health and Safety Review (PSR) requirements during peak season. Understand these requirements before making changes. Item 3 in Section 7’s table of Regulation 851 explains when employers must complete a PSR. It applies to racks or stacking structures used to store materials, articles, or other items. Subsection 7(7) provides an exemption for racks or stacking structures designed and tested to meet applicable standards. Most suppliers provide this documentation with the racking system.

Two peak-season decisions can put you back into PSR territory. The Ministry’s guideline identifies changes that may trigger a review. These include switching the type of lift truck used to load the rack. Changes to stored loads can also trigger a review if their type or weight falls outside the original design parameters. Exceeding the manufacturer’s stated load limits also triggers a review. A warehouse may bring in a different forklift class for peak season. It may also store heavier or differently shaped products to handle higher volumes. These changes can affect the conditions covered by the original racking review.

Inspect Racking and Storage Areas

Check that racking stays within its rated capacity. Confirm that workers have reported damaged uprights or beams. Also, check whether overflow storage creates new hazards in aisles or near exits. Section 72 also applies when structural damage creates a risk of collapse. This includes situations where a collapse could injure a worker.

Loading and Receiving Areas

Peak season brings more truck traffic to loading docks. This means more staging and forklift movement near dock edges. Workers may enter trailers before securing them, increasing the risk of injury. Workers may enter trailers before anyone secures them. Review dock lock and wheel chock procedures. Check that dock plates can support the equipment crossing them. Make sure workers know never to step off an unguarded dock edge.

Ladders and Access to Stored Materials

As storage fills up, workers may use nearby items to reach high shelves. They may skip ladders or proper access equipment. Check whether the right ladders or order-picking equipment are accessible where workers need them. Equipment stored elsewhere in the building may not be practical to use. Confirm that workers use this equipment rather than climbing racking or standing on pallets.

When workers use an order picker, the platform lifts the operator. They must follow the machine’s fall protection, platform gate, and anchor requirements. Operating an order picker also requires different skills than operating a counterbalance truck.

Ergonomic and Manual Handling Risks

Repetitive tasks add up faster when volume is high and shifts run longer. Watch for workers repeating the same lift, twist, or reach hundreds of times per shift. Check for workstations that force awkward postures. Also, make sure packing and picking stations can handle the faster pace of peak season. Small adjustments to workstation height or task rotation can meaningfully reduce strain over a peak season stretch.

Slips, Trips and Obstructed Work Areas

Workers may neglect housekeeping when they focus on meeting production targets. Busy periods often leave stretch wrap, packaging debris, and pallets in walkways. These hazards can cause slips and trips. Check whether cleanup keeps pace with the rising workload. Pay particular attention to high-traffic areas, such as packing stations and loading docks.

How to Conduct a Warehouse Hazard Assessment Before Peak Season

Identify Hazards and High-Risk Activities

Walk the floor with peak-season conditions in mind, not the conditions of a quieter month. Focus on tasks and areas where peak season will bring the biggest changes. Check forklift routes, staging areas, and packing stations. Also, identify where temporary workers will work.

Assess the Level of Risk

For each hazard, assess how likely it is to cause harm as activity increases. Consider how serious the consequences could be. A minor housekeeping issue in a quiet corner may pose a lower risk. A blocked pedestrian route beside an active forklift aisle presents a more serious hazard.

Identify Existing Safety Controls

Note what is already in place for each hazard, whether that is physical barriers, signage, safe work procedures, or training. This shows which safety controls work and which need updating.

Find Gaps in Safety Controls

Compare the existing controls against what peak-season conditions will actually look like. Prioritize areas with the biggest gaps in safety controls. You may need to add barriers, adjust traffic routes, or reinforce procedures through training.

Warehouse Safety Controls to Review Before Peak Season

Safe Work Practices

Review written procedures for tasks that will see the most activity during peak season. Check that they reflect how workers perform these tasks today. Procedures last reviewed a year ago may not account for layout changes or new equipment.

Forklift and Pedestrian Traffic Controls

Check that pedestrian walkways remain clearly marked after layout changes. Check whether mirrors, barriers, and intersection speed limits can handle the expected traffic. Reinforce the rule that pedestrians and forklifts must not share a path without a clear line of sight.

Material Handling Controls

Keep mechanical aids close to the areas where workers need them. Review team-lift procedures for heavy or awkward loads. Make sure workers know when to use mechanical equipment instead of lifting manually.

Racking and Storage Controls

Check that load capacity signs are visible and up to date. Make sure workers follow these limits, even when storage space is tight. Establish a clear process for reporting damaged racking. Flag damaged sections and arrange repairs before workers use them again.

Before making changes, check whether a Pre-Start Health and Safety Review (PSR) applies. This includes adding racking, changing the forklift class used to load it, or storing products with different types or weights.

Loading and Receiving Controls

Review dock safety procedures for trailer securement, wheel chocking, and dock plate use. Pay particular attention if receiving volumes are increasing or more trailers will be on site at once. Make sure workers know what to do if a trailer is not secured before entry.

PPE Requirements

Check that each task’s PPE remains suitable for changes in equipment, workload, or layout. Make sure you have enough supplies for a larger or temporary workforce. Explain the PPE requirements for each task to new and seasonal workers. A general reminder to wear PPE is not enough.

Equipment and Workplace Inspections

Forklift and Mobile Equipment Inspections

Pre-shift inspections matter more, not less, when equipment is running longer hours. Make sure operators complete these inspections before using equipment. Require them to report any defects. Address those defects before returning the equipment to service. CSA B335:25, the current Canadian lift truck safety standard, recognizes pre-use inspections at the start of each shift. Regulation 851 does not specifically require this practice. This explains why employers will not find it listed as a specific requirement in that regulation.

Racking Inspections

Inspect racking for damage, misalignment, and overloading. Pay close attention to areas with heavy forklift traffic. During peak season, increase visual checks where needed, even if the formal inspection schedule remains unchanged. A Pre-Start Health and Safety Review does not replace routine damage inspections. Employers must continue to inspect racking components and address damage as part of their ongoing safety responsibilities.

Lifting Equipment Inspections

Before peak season, check hand trucks, pallet jacks, hoists, and other lifting aids for wear and proper function. When equipment is out of service, workers may feel pressure to lift loads manually instead. Keep lifting aids in working order to reduce this risk.

Floors, Walkways and Work Areas

Inspect floor conditions, walkway markings, and housekeeping throughout the building. Focus on areas where peak season will bring more foot and vehicle traffic. A quick pre-season walkthrough often turns up small issues that are easy to fix before they become a pattern.

Preparing Workers for Peak Season

Warehouse Safety Training

Training should reflect the tasks and conditions workers will actually face during peak season, not a generic overview. Train workers to spot hazards, follow safe procedures during busy periods, and respond to changing floor conditions.

Forklift and Equipment Training

Employers should train operators to use each machine safely, including equipment they bring in to handle extra volume. Operators need training and evaluation for each truck class. A counterbalance forklift certificate alone does not qualify someone to operate a reach truck or order picker. A refresher before peak season starts is worth considering even for experienced operators, particularly around pedestrian awareness in congested areas.

Material Handling and Ergonomics Training

Workers who lift or pack repeatedly need proper lifting techniques and guidance on using mechanical aids. New employees need this training before they start. Experienced workers can also benefit from a refresher when their workload increases.

Training Temporary and New Workers

Temporary and seasonal workers need two distinct things, and employers frequently provide one and assume it covers both.

The first is the awareness training required by O. Reg. 297/13, covering worker rights and duties, the roles of the committee or representative, WHMIS requirements and occupational illness. Workers who completed the programme with a previous employer can avoid repeating it. They must provide proof of completion, and the new employer must verify that the training meets regulatory requirements. Employers must complete this check, but it is often overlooked.

The second is site-specific orientation. Show new workers the traffic routes, emergency exits, and equipment they will use. Explain the safe work practices for their assigned tasks. Awareness training is generic by design and says nothing about your building. Assuming general warehouse experience covers this gap is one of the more common mistakes employers make during peak season hiring.

Communicating Workplace Hazards and Safe Work Practices

Use toolbox talks, shift briefings, and reminders to keep safety top of mind during peak season. At each shift’s start, highlight a specific hazard, such as a temporary staging area or a new traffic pattern. This quick reminder can have more impact than an old policy posted on the wall.

Managing Warehouse Safety During Peak Season

Monitor Changing Hazards

Conditions on a busy warehouse floor can shift day to day as inventory levels, staffing, and layout adjust to demand. Use daily walkthroughs to spot changes early. Ask supervisors to watch for new pinch points and blocked routes as teams set up.

Maintain Housekeeping and Clear Walkways

Keep up with housekeeping during peak season, even when time is tight. Give specific workers responsibility for keeping walkways, aisles, and work areas clear. Set clear expectations instead of leaving cleanup until someone has time.

Manage Increased Traffic and Congestion

Check for pinch points as staging areas grow or workers add equipment. Change traffic routes or move staging areas to reduce congestion. A small adjustment can help prevent a near miss.

Monitor Workload and Ergonomic Risks

Longer shifts and repetitive tasks add up over the course of peak season. Rotate workers through different tasks when possible. Watch for fatigue, too. These steps can reduce ergonomic risks during sustained busy periods.

Review Safety Procedures With Supervisors and Workers

Check in regularly with supervisors and workers about what is actually happening on the floor. Supervisors and workers often spot procedures that fail during peak season. Use their feedback to adjust safety controls before an incident occurs.

Incident Investigations and Corrective Actions

What to Do After an Incident or Near Miss

Respond to the immediate situation first, then document what happened while details are fresh. Treat near misses as seriously as incidents that cause injuries. These checks can reveal hazards before injuries occur.

A critical injury or fatality triggers immediate notification and scene-preservation duties under the Act. These rules apply to all workers, including temporary and seasonal staff. If you are not certain what your obligations are, establish that before peak season rather than during an incident.

Identify the Root Cause

Look beyond the action that caused the incident. Ask what allowed it to happen. Consider whether someone skipped a procedure, left a hazard uncontrolled, or changed conditions without updating safe work practices.

Update Controls and Safe Work Practices

Use what the investigation turns up to adjust the relevant control, procedure, or training. An investigation that does not lead to a change in the workplace has not accomplished much beyond documentation.

Emergency Procedures for Busy Warehouse Operations

Emergency Routes and Exits

Confirm that emergency exits and evacuation routes are still clear once peak-season staging and inventory changes are in place. A route that was unobstructed in a quieter month can end up partially blocked once storage areas expand.

Communication and Emergency Response

Review how your team communicates emergencies. Pay special attention to temporary and new workers. They may not know the warehouse’s alert system or assembly points.

Preparing Workers for Emergency Situations

Give temporary and seasonal workers the same emergency orientation as permanent staff. Explain where to go and who to notify. This should not be treated as optional just because someone is only on site for a few weeks.

Warehouse Safety Checklist for Peak Season

Hazard assessment

Walk the floor specifically for peak-season conditions, not off-season conditions

Identify tasks and areas where volume or traffic will increase the most

Confirm existing controls still match current risk levels

Forklifts and mobile equipment

Confirm that operators complete and document pre-shift inspections.

Review speed limits and right-of-way rules at congested intersections

Check visibility at blind corners and near staging areas

Evaluate operators on each class of truck they will operate.

Pedestrian routes

Walkways: Keep walkways clear of stock, pallets, and equipment.

Pedestrian routes: Separate forklift and pedestrian routes where possible.

Racking

Confirm load capacity signage is visible and accurate

Check for damaged uprights, beams, or connectors

Confirm a process exists for reporting and repairing racking damage

Check if a Pre-Start Health and Safety Review is needed for new racking, forklift changes, or different loads.

Storage

Review overflow storage areas for blocked aisles or exits

Confirm stored materials are stable and not stacked beyond safe height

Loading and receiving

Verify that workers follow dock lock and wheel chock procedures.

Dock plates: Use dock plates rated for the equipment crossing them.

Confirm workers know the procedure for an unsecured trailer

Material handling

Keep mechanical aids accessible near the areas where workers need them.

Review team-lift procedures for heavy or awkward loads

Ladders and access

Confirm the correct ladders or access equipment are available at storage areas

Check that workers are using proper equipment instead of climbing racking

Ergonomics

Review repetitive tasks for opportunities to rotate workers

Check workstation setup for packing and picking tasks

PPE

Confirm PPE requirements are current for each task

Confirm supplies are stocked for a larger or temporary workforce

Inspections

Increase visual inspection frequency for racking and equipment during peak season

Confirm that workers remove defective equipment from service and keep it out of use until the maintenance team repairs it.

Worker training

Confirm every worker, including temporary and seasonal staff, has completed awareness training under O. Reg. 297/13, and that the record is on file

Confirm supervisors have completed the supervisor awareness programme

Confirm temporary and seasonal workers receive site-specific orientation

Confirm forklift operators are trained on any equipment added for peak season

Committee and representation

Check whether seasonal hiring brings the workplace to 20 or more regular employees. If it does, determine whether the workplace needs a Joint Health and Safety Committee with certified members.

Incident reporting

Confirm workers know how to report incidents and near misses

Confirm a process exists to act on what investigations find

Emergency procedures

Confirm exits and evacuation routes remain clear as layouts change

Confirm temporary workers receive emergency orientation

Takeaway

Peak season puts more pressure on existing warehouse hazards. Products move faster, forklift traffic increases, and storage space gets tighter. New workers may also lack familiarity with the building. These changes can make existing hazards more dangerous.

Two of the requirements above are genuinely easy to miss and genuinely difficult to fix late. Employers must provide awareness training to every seasonal worker from their first shift. They must also keep a record of completed training. Changing the forklift class or load type may trigger a Pre-Start Health and Safety Review for the racking system. Plan this review before peak season, not in November.

Employers can reduce peak-season incidents by preparing early. Review hazards and safety controls before activity increases. Train workers for the conditions they will face. Continue checking conditions as work picks up. Don’t treat the pre-season review as a one-time task.

Get your workers trained before the ramp-up. PHASCOR provides forklift operator training and evaluation for counterbalance trucks, reach trucks, order pickers, and powered walkies. Train at our Brampton centre or on-site with your own equipment. Book training

Not sure where your programme stands? A pre-season hazard assessment helps identify safety gaps before activity increases. It can also reveal whether racking changes require a Pre-Start Health and Safety Review. Talk to a consultant

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common warehouse safety hazards during peak season?

Common warehouse hazards include forklift and pedestrian traffic conflicts, manual handling injuries, and racking or storage issues. Blocked walkways can also cause slips and trips. During peak season, these hazards can become more frequent. More products, equipment, and people move through the same space.

How can employers prepare a warehouse for peak season?

Conduct a hazard assessment focused on peak-season conditions. Review and update safety controls. Inspect equipment and storage areas. Train all workers, including temporary staff, before volume increases. Continuing to monitor conditions once peak season is underway is just as important as the pre-season review.

Do temporary and seasonal warehouse workers need safety training?

Yes. Ontario Regulation 297/13 requires every worker to complete basic occupational health and safety awareness training as soon as practicable. This requirement applies regardless of employment status. Seasonal and temporary workers are included. There is no probationary grace period. Employers must maintain a record of completed training. Site-specific orientation is also required. It should cover traffic routes, equipment, and emergency procedures. Awareness training alone does not meet this requirement.

Does a worker have to repeat awareness training at a new warehouse?

No, provided the worker completed a program covering the required content. They must give the new employer proof of completion. The employer must verify that the previous training meets the regulation’s requirements. The verification step is the employer’s responsibility.

Does peak-season hiring affect our Joint Health and Safety Committee obligations?

It can. Under Section 9 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, workplaces must establish a committee when 20 or more workers are regularly employed. The committee must have at least two certified members. A workplace with fewer than 20 workers for most of the year may cross the threshold during a seasonal ramp-up. Committee certification requires two separate courses.

What should be included in a warehouse safety program?

A current hazard assessment, documented safe work practices, equipment and racking inspection schedules, PPE requirements, worker training records, and a process for reporting and investigating incidents and near misses. It should be reviewed regularly, not just at the start of the year.

What are the main forklift safety concerns in a warehouse?

Pedestrian and forklift interactions, congestion in aisles and at intersections, blind spots at corners and near staging areas, and equipment that has not been properly inspected before use. Clause 51(2)(a) of Regulation 851 requires that a lift truck be operated by a competent person, and competency includes knowledge of the actual and potential dangers in that specific workplace, which is exactly what changes during peak season.

Do operators need separate training for each type of forklift?

Yes in substance. Controls, stability behaviour and hazards differ by class, so an operator certified on a counterbalance forklift has not been evaluated on a reach truck or an order picker. Any equipment brought in temporarily for peak season needs to be covered.

How can employers reduce material handling injuries?

Clause 45(a) of Regulation 851 requires that material be lifted, carried or moved with precautions that ensure the work does not endanger a worker. In practice that means making mechanical aids available and accessible, training workers on lifting technique, and reviewing tasks for repetitive strain or awkward postures. Reducing unnecessary manual lifting is usually more effective than training alone.

How often should warehouse racking be inspected?

Racking should be inspected as part of a documented process, with visual checks increased during periods of higher activity. Clause 45(b) of Regulation 851 requires that material be stored so that it will not tip, collapse or fall, and section 46 requires that anything which may tip or fall be secured. Any damage such as bent uprights or misaligned beams should be reported and addressed before the section is used again.

When does warehouse racking require a Pre-Start Health and Safety Review?

Item 3 in the table to section 7 of Regulation 851 requires a PSR where material is placed or stored on a rack or stacking structure. Subsection 7(7) exempts a rack that is designed and tested for use in accordance with current applicable standards, and suppliers usually provide that documentation. A fresh review can be triggered by changing the kind of lift truck used to load the rack, by the type or weight of stored loads deviating from the original design parameters, or by exceeding the manufacturer’s stated load limits. All three are decisions warehouses commonly make to cope with peak volume.

What training do warehouse workers need before peak season?

Awareness training under O. Reg. 297/13 for every worker and the supervisor programme for every supervisor, site-specific orientation covering traffic routes and emergency procedures, and equipment-specific training with a practical evaluation for anyone operating a lift truck.

Why is a hazard assessment important before peak season?

It identifies where existing safety controls may not hold up once volume, traffic, and staffing change, giving employers a chance to address gaps before they lead to an incident. Conditions that are manageable in a slower month can become genuine hazards once activity increases.

What should a warehouse safety checklist include?

Hazard assessment, forklift and pedestrian safety, racking and storage including PSR applicability, loading and receiving, material handling, ladders, ergonomics, PPE, inspections, worker training and awareness records, committee requirements, incident reporting, and emergency procedures. Each item should be specific enough for a supervisor to actually verify.

How can employers maintain warehouse safety when work activity increases?

Monitor changing conditions regularly, keep housekeeping and traffic routes a consistent priority, and check in with supervisors and workers about what is actually happening on the floor. Treating the pre-season review as an ongoing process rather than a one-time task makes it easier to catch new hazards as they develop.