Reduce the injury risk to your employees with MCE’s ergonomic modular material and pallet conveyor solutions.
Warehouses run on efficiency, but the people behind the process face real risks every day. From lifting heavy packages to navigating cluttered aisles, tasks in shipping, receiving, picking, and put-away place repeated strain on the body. That strain adds up. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, warehousing and storage have one of the highest rates of workplace injury in the U.S.
For warehouse managers, employee injury is a safety issue that drives up costs and slows productivity. It also affects workforce morale and can lead to staffing shortages and delays that ripple across the entire operation.
The good news? Better ergonomics lead to stronger operations. Modular conveyor systems, especially the flexible, customizable systems designed by MCE play a vital role in making that happen.
Ergonomic Risks Facing Warehouse Workers
Warehousing remains a physically demanding industry, and the latest data underscores why. In 2023, the BLS reported that the private transportation and warehousing sector had 4.5 recordable safety incidents for every 100 full‑time workers, the highest among any major industry.
Behind these numbers are common risks tied to the typical design of workstations and how employees perform tasks over long shifts. Shipping and receiving teams face some of the most intense physical demands on the floor.
Common Injuries in Shipping and Receiving
Which warehouse teams do the heaviest lifting, literally and figuratively? The answer is: Shipping and receiving. Their daily tasks often include:
- Lifting, twisting, and pushing heavy boxes or pallets
- Repetitive motions that place ongoing stress on wrists and shoulders, sometimes leading to chronic pain in the upper back or neck
- Navigating uneven or cluttered areas, increasing fall risk
Overexertion, slips, and awkward postures are among the top causes of injuries in this department. Many of these hazards stem from poor workflow design.
Pick-and-Pack Pain Points
Workers in pick-and-pack roles often face unique challenges. These include:
- Reaching above the shoulders or crouching below the waist dozens of times per hour
- Walking long distances between bins, packing areas, and staging zones
- Repetitive steps that build fatigue and slow fulfillment
Poor flow design causes more than shipping delays. It increases physical strain on workers and contributes to preventable injuries across shifts.
The True Cost of Workplace Injuries
Injuries in warehouse environments affect far more than safety metrics. They lead to rising medical costs and lost workdays. Even a single injury can make it harder to maintain a stable and motivated workforce. When experienced employees enter the sidelines, operations slow down and replacement costs increase. Companies can mitigate these disruptions by implementing better planning and safer workflows.
Senior Workers Are More Prone to Injury
The average age of the warehouse workforce is rising. One in three workers in transportation and warehousing is age 55 or older. As workers age, recovery times increase, and the consequences of injury become more severe.
>> Direct Costs
Injuries affect your bottom line in ways that are both immediate and measurable:
- Workers’ compensation claims and medical expenses
- Fines from OSHA for noncompliance with safety guidelines
According to the National Safety Council
, the average cost of a medically consulted injury is over $42,000. A disabling injury can surpass $55,000.
>> Indirect Costs
Beyond the obvious expenses, injury-related costs ripple across your organization:
- Missed workdays and higher overtime
- Productivity losses across entire shifts
- Increased turnover and difficulty recruiting
- Lower morale and reputation damage
OSHA’s “Safety Pays” estimator
enables employers to calculate the impact of these costs on profitability. No matter your numbers, the takeaway is clear: prevention pays off.
Modular Conveyor Solutions: Ergonomics Built-In
Designed for People, Not Just Product
Modular conveyors were built to move more than materials. They support healthier, safer workflows. Their features include:
- Adjustable heights that reduce strain from bending or reaching
- Expandable conveyor systems that fit into temporary or seasonal workstations
- Quiet, low-noise operation that minimizes fatigue
By removing the need for repeated lifting and lowering, these systems enable broader hiring options. Currently, three in four transportation and warehousing workers are men. Ergonomic tools reduce the physical demands of warehouse work, including tasks such as heavy lifting and repetitive bending.
When tasks place less strain on the body, more individuals can perform them safely, including those whose traditional job requirements may have excluded them. Better equipment opens the door for companies to hire from a broader talent pool, including women, older workers, and people returning from injury.
Benefits of the Interroll Modular Conveyor & Pallet Platforms
MCE automation solutions group offers Interroll MCP pre-assembled conveying modules, which deliver a safer, smoother warehouse experience through:
- Zero pressure accumulation that keeps items spaced and workers protected
- Modular zones that reduce manual handling and automate material flow
- Integrated systems that enhance speed and accuracy in picking, sorting, and transferring
And with Interroll’s modular pallet conveyor platform (MPP) ideal for handling pallets, these systems work across the entire warehouse:
- Receiving: Conveyor-fed docks reduce unloading strain
- Put-away: Move inventory without carrying it long distances
- Picking and Packing: Flow-through designs minimize twisting, turning, or unnecessary steps
- Shipping: Consolidate loads and ease transfer to trucks
MCE’s Expertise and Support
Warehouse safety improves when workflows are designed around people, not just products. MCE’s automation team brings deep experience in ergonomic layout planning and modular system design. We help warehouse leaders reduce physical strain and respond to changing demand with scalable solutions.
MCE’s Proven Track Record and Turnkey Support
We specialize in helping operations like yours evolve with confidence. The service includes:
- Outfitting micro-fulfillment centers with rapid deployment conveyor solutions
- Supporting both powered and gravity systems, depending on workflow needs
- Delivering equipment that adjusts to seasonal spikes or layout changes
The MCE team can provide end-to-end guidance, including:
- Designing modular layouts for ergonomic flow
- Building and implementing conveyor systems that scale with your business
- Integrating with pick-to-light and automation systems by MCE automation team.
We deliver equipment backed by practical expertise. Our team helps improve safety and build more consistent, efficient workflows that support long-term operational goals.
Healthier Employees = Stronger Operations
Workplace safety is often seen as a compliance obligation, but its impact reaches far deeper. When employees experience less strain on the job, they stay healthier and more engaged. Well-designed conveyor systems support this shift by reducing physical effort and creating smoother, more predictable workflows. The result is a more resilient operation with fewer disruptions and stronger long-term performance.
>> Reduce Workplace Noise with Smarter Conveyor Systems
What MCE’s Safer Workflows Deliver
When conveyor systems ease the burden on your workforce, the benefits are clear:
- Fewer repetitive strain injuries
- Reduced workers’ comp and insurance costs
- Less lost time and absenteeism
- Improved employee satisfaction and retention
- Faster, more accurate order fulfillment
- Stronger reputation as a safety-first employer
Safer workflows lead to fewer injuries and lower replacement costs. They also make it easier to retain experienced employees and keep orders moving on schedule.
Modular Conveyors Are a Safety Investment
Conveyors designed for ergonomic support enhance safety and reduce the risk of injuries. They also create conditions that support reliable staffing and consistent output. Our modular conveyor systems consistently deliver that kind of value.
If you want a safer, more productive warehouse and a layout built to grow with you, partner with MCE. Our team is ready to design the ergonomic solutions that meet today’s labor and logistics challenges, while keeping your people safer at every step.