Musculoskeletal accidents don’t all the time present up on the manufacturing report—however they hit onerous the place it hurts: your workforce, your margins, and your momentum.
Handbook palletizing is without doubt one of the most bodily demanding duties on the manufacturing facility flooring. It’s additionally one of the vital neglected in relation to price. Positive, it appears easy—choose, place, repeat—however the true value of this repetitive pressure goes far past a sore again and some misplaced workdays.
Right here’s why the true price of guide palletizing is far larger than you assume—and what to do about it.
What’s actually driving the associated fee?
When a employee will get injured whereas palletizing, the apparent bills observe: medical therapy, employees’ comp, possibly even authorized charges. These are your direct prices—and so they’re steep. In response to the Nationwide Security Council, the typical decrease again harm prices over $39,000 in medical and indemnity bills.
However the oblique prices? They’re typically 2–5x larger.
Assume turnover, coaching a temp, manufacturing delays, additional time for replacements, decrease morale, missed deadlines… All of it provides up. One pressure harm can imply your organization must generate over $2 million in additional gross sales simply to get well the associated fee.
And if that doesn’t sting sufficient—your premiums go up subsequent yr.
The value of inaction
Right here’s the kicker: in international locations just like the U.S., Canada, and throughout the EU, MSDs (musculoskeletal problems) account for as much as 30% of all office accidents. Most are tied on to guide dealing with—particularly palletizing.
What’s extra, many of those accidents don’t occur in a single day. They creep in over months of repeated lifts, awkward postures, and overexertion—till somebody instantly can’t end their shift. The end result? A sluggish drain on efficiency, morale, and profitability.
Automation isn’t a value—It’s a defend
Right here’s the place it will get attention-grabbing: palletizing is without doubt one of the best duties to automate—and one of the vital strategic locations to start out.
With a cobot palletizer, you:
- Take away employees from injury-prone duties
- Scale back insurance coverage premiums
- Remove downtime from strain-related accidents
- Shield your crew and your productiveness
The ROI isn’t nearly labor financial savings anymore. It’s about danger prevention—and in in the present day’s market, that’s priceless.
From ache level to revenue heart
In case you’ve been holding off on automation as a result of it felt too advanced or expensive, begin by taking a look at the true price of staying guide. The numbers don’t lie. And with fashionable cobot options that set up in just some days, the obstacles are decrease than ever.
Need to get a clearer image? Strive the OSHA Security Pays Harm Estimator. See for your self how one harm may price greater than a totally put in robotic palletizer.
Backside line
Handbook palletizing is hurting greater than your employees—it’s consuming away at what you are promoting.
Simply how a lot is guide palletizing costing what you are promoting? We may also help you discover out!
💻 Do not miss our Ergonomics webinar with Carla Silver – register in the present day!
📘 Obtain our Ergonomics book, additionally by Carla Silver.

