How Stillages Reduce Workplace Injuries

Workplace injuries and ill health cost businesses in the UK billions annually in lost productivity, compensation claims, and HSE investigations. Manual handling accounts for over a third of workplace injuries, while slips, trips, and falling objects feature prominently in accident statistics. The equipment used for storing and moving materials influences these injury rates, yet some businesses may overlook how suitable containment systems can help protect workers and improve workplace efficiency.

Stillages address multiple injury risks through engineered design features that help reduce hazards at the source. Instead of relying solely on training and procedures, products like stillages build protection into daily operations through mechanical aids, secure containment, and controlled handling systems.

Reducing Manual Handling Injuries

Manual handling injuries are one of the leading causes of workplace absences in various sectors nationwide. Stillages tackle these risks through interconnected design features.

• Mechanical Containment Replaces Manual Carrying – Steel stillages enable personnel to move seamlessly using forklifts, pallet trucks, or tugger trains, instead of carrying individual items repeatedly, thereby removing the risk factors identified by HSE as a cause of injury: load weight, carrying distance, and frequency of repetition.

• Ergonomic Access Features Reduce Strain – Drop-bottom bin stillages and units with half-gates or removable sides allow people to pick at mid-torso height, resulting in shorter reach distances and lower back and shoulder strain compared to lifting from floor level or reaching into deep containers.

• Built-In Dividers Improve Organisation – Internal dividers and kitting compartments present items in organised cells at safe reach depths, cutting repetitive twisting and over-reaching while improving accuracy when picking.

Preventing Incidents of Falling Objects Through Secure Containment

Secure containment prevents loose loads and unstable stacks that can cause injuries, cuts, and falling objects.

• Secure Sides and Lids Contain Hazardous Items – Mesh or sheet steel sides with optional lids and strap points keep parts stable and covered during movement. These benefit operations that handle sharp-edged components, glass, or awkwardly shaped items. Glass stillages with A-frame configurations and scaffolding stillages with tube restraints help prevent protruding hazards.

• Safe Working Load Ratings Prevent Collapse – Clear SWL plates and engineered bases prevent overloading that can cause sudden collapse, splaying, and injuries, as HSE warehouse guidance stresses the use of storage equipment within rated limits to safeguard structural integrity.

• Positive Stacking Systems Maintain Stability – Interlocking feet and stacking mechanisms ensure loads stack securely with vertical load paths, providing stability. These matter where tyre stillages or automotive stillages stack four or five high to prevent domino-effect collapses.

Reducing Forklift-Related Injuries Through Standardised Handling

Forklift operations can also create their own injury risks in facilities with mixed pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Stillages can help reduce these hazards through standardised handling features.

How Fork Guides Prevent Loading Accidents and Dropped Loads

1. Controlled Entry – Fork guides channel tines into pockets accurately, reducing mis-picks that can cause dropped loads near pedestrians or damage to adjacent equipment.
2. Faster Engagement – Clear pocket positioning speeds up forklift operations, reducing the time forklifts operate in busy areas and lowering the risk of collisions.
3. Load Stability – Suitably engaged forks distribute weight evenly, preventing load shifting and causing tipping incidents during transport.
4. Personnel Confidence – Consistent, easy engagement allows personnel to work carefully and avoid rushing or forcing difficult pickups that increase risk.

Reducing Collision Injuries Through Visibility and Standardisation

Consistent stillage footprints suit racking systems and trailer configurations, which help reduce racking strikes and snagging occurring when people manoeuvre awkwardly sized loads. High-visibility powder coating in corporate colours and clear identification labels aid in spotting in mixed traffic areas. HSE workplace transport guidance emphasises segregation, visibility, and predictable load geometry as primary controls for preventing vehicle-pedestrian collisions.

How Organised Storage Prevents Slip and Trip Injuries

Poor housekeeping is responsible for a third of workplace slips and trips. Stillages help address these hazards by keeping materials organised and off the floor. Goods contained in stillages instead of being stacked loose on the floor keep pedestrian routes clear and reduce trip hazards. Extrusion stillages eliminate lengthy profiles that would otherwise lean against walls, creating obstacles in walkways. This organised storage retains safe access to emergency exits and fire equipment while making daily movement safer.

Additionally, empty stillages that collapse or fold flat for return journeys reduce aisle clutter by narrowing walkways and eliminating collision points. This space efficiency provides the safe passage widths required under workplace regulations, while improving traffic flow during busy periods.

Maintaining Safety Through Inspection and Personnel Training

Equipment features only deliver safety benefits when they are well-maintained and used correctly, making inspection routines and operator training essential.

• Regular Damage Checks – Inspect for bent frames, cracked welds, and damaged stacking feet that compromise stability, and remove damaged units from service immediately.

• SWL Plate Legibility – Verify that identification plates are readable so that people understand the load limits, as faded or missing plates can lead to overloading, which may cause structural failure.

• Operator Training – Brief staff quarterly on safe handling techniques, correct stacking procedures, and reporting damage to prevent misuse that can cause most stillage-related incidents.

• PUWER Compliance – Log inspections and maintenance activities as required under Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations to demonstrate due diligence.

HSE guidance makes it clear that using mechanical aids and suitable containers is integral to reducing the risks associated with manual handling. Stillage repair and maintenance services ensure units stay in a safe working condition, addressing wear before it creates hazards.

Protecting Your Workforce Through Expertly Made Stillages

Stillages are an important part of workplace safety, and reducing injuries through thoughtful design involves addressing hazards at their source rather than relying on behaviour alone.

At Range Storage Equipment Ltd, we have manufactured stillages in our West Yorkshire factory since 1979, with worker safety as a core design principle. Our understanding of how materials handling equipment performs in industrial environments informs fabrication decisions, from fork pocket positioning and ensuring stable lifting to powder coating and safeguarding visibility in busy warehouses.

We manufacture a complete range of safety-focused stillages, including post stillages, box stillages, mesh-sided units, and specialised designs, each custom-built to client specifications using UK-sourced steel. Our ISO 9001 accreditation means we deliver consistent quality standards and reliable performance that helps protect your workforce. 

Contact us to discuss how our range of stillages and workplace equipment can improve safety in your business.