By Ashley Mayo, PT, DPT, CPE
Injury Prevention Specialist, Fit For Work
Key Insights
- The link between warehouse worker injuries and demanding quotas is gaining visibility.
- NY state is the first to require board-certified ergonomists for worksite evaluations when workers raise concerns.
- Injury prevention program requirements will continue to grow, increasing the need for certified ergonomics professionals.
The NY Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act is a significant step toward improving the safety of warehouse working conditions and emphasizing the importance of proactive injury prevention measures. Pandemic-related surges in e-commerce and fulfillment work created a significant need for additional warehouse workers, one of the most physically demanding jobs in the country. Prior to the implementation of this Act, NY warehouse injury rates were double the national average, resulting in impacts not only to injured individuals and companies, but also additional burden on public health resources. While not the first legislation of its kind, it does continue a trend of increasing awareness and action regarding safe working conditions for warehouse workers.
The Law
The NY Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul in December 2024 and took effect June 2025. It requires larger warehouse and fulfillment employers to evaluate worksites, implement plans to mitigate risks, and provide injury reduction training annually. Notably, it is the first law in the country to specifically require that a board-certified ergonomist review worksite evaluations when workers raise health and safety concerns.
Who It Covers
This law currently covers larger warehouse and fulfillment employers across the state of New York, specifically those with 100+ employees at a single NY location or those with 1,000+ employees across multiple NY sites. It is worth noting that smaller employers and facilities may fall through the regulatory cracks. Understandably, the time and resources required could be challenging for smaller employers to accommodate, but the impact of injury prevention programs is too great to ignore. As acceptance and enforcement of injury prevention programs grow, there are great opportunities both for employers and ergonomics professionals to proactively develop strategies that ease implementation challenges.
What Covered Employers Must Do
Covered employers are required to implement a written injury reduction program. This involves disclosing quotas to both current and former employees, and a program must be developed to mitigate the risks associated with those quotas. Training and worksite evaluations are key parts of the injury reduction program and consider risk factors like repetition, high force, and awkward postures. Each job, process, shift, and operation done by workers must be evaluated. The risk mitigation plan must be developed and implemented within 30 days, or in cases where planned corrections will take longer than 30 days, a schedule must be provided.
Injury reduction program training, provided on an annual basis to all supervisors and employees whose roles involve manual work or material handling, must use languages and vocabulary that are easily understood by employees.
The program must cover:
- Early symptoms of work-related musculoskeletal disorders
- Ergonomic risk factors for musculoskeletal disorder, including excessive work rates
- Methods to reduce risk factors, like changes to workstations and work practices
- The employer’s injury reduction program
- Musculoskeletal treatment plans prepared by a medical professional
- Employees’ right to report risk factors, hazards, injuries, and health and safety concerns
- Training on illegal employer retaliation, including the employer’s prohibition of workplace discrimination
Key Compliance Deadlines
Covered employers were required to implement their programs on June 1, 2025, with their first worksite evaluations due on June 19, 2025. These evaluations are due annually, so the next evaluation and training due dates are rapidly approaching in June 2026. When performing annual worksite evaluations, workstations that have the greatest risk and most complaints should be the top priority.
Consulting with an ergonomist as soon as possible can streamline the process and provide effective improvement recommendations quickly. The proactive participation of an ergonomist also speaks to strong safety culture, creating more employee buy-in with the injury prevention program.
Employee feedback is extremely valuable during the data collection phase of the evaluation as well. Companies that are visibly committed to safety have a greater chance of establishing goodwill and open communication with their workforce.
Who Can Conduct Evaluations
Standard worksite evaluations must be completed by a “competent person”, which refers to a wide range of individuals from ergonomists to safety professionals and industrial hygienists. This somewhat relaxed stipulation makes it easier for companies to accomplish evaluations without undue financial burden or difficulty accessing qualified professionals.
However, when workers dispute an evaluation, a board-certified ergonomist is required to review the request within 30 days. Ergonomists are certified by the Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics (BCPE). Rigorous education, work experience, and work sample requirements ensure that certified ergonomists are highly capable professionals able to develop system solutions that promote worker performance and well-being.
Increasing legal requirements will result in greater demand for certified professionals—something current and aspiring ergonomists should keep in mind when considering continuing education.
The Bigger Picture
The NY Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act is the latest in a growing number of legal actions supporting increased scrutiny and awareness of worker safety. The correlation between demanding quotas and injury risk is becoming more apparent, and more states are acting:
- California has had a legally enforceable ergonomics standard for decades.
- Washington State passed SB 5217 in April 2023, reinstating ergonomics rulemaking authority.
- Connecticut has also recently signed Warehouse Worker Protection legislation, creating clarity around performance quotas and ensuring protection of worker’s legal rights (SB 298, sections 50-57).
- Minnesota passed Statute §182.677 in 2023 to minimize the risk of employees developing or aggravating musculoskeletal disorders in warehouse distribution centers, licensed healthcare facilities, and meatpacking sites.
- The issue is even receiving attention at the federal level with the introduction of the Warehouse Worker Protection Act.
The Takeaway
Employers in states already affected by worker injury reduction legislation must act quickly to meet requirements and actively continue building safety-centric cultures. Those not currently impacted by state legislation would be wise to take a proactive approach—develop relationships with ergonomists, begin assessing worksites, and implement good ergonomic principles early. The benefits to worker health already make a clear case for these practices, and legal backing is catching up swiftly.
As injury‑reduction laws evolve, Fit For Work can help you reduce ergonomic risk, strengthen prevention programs, and stay compliant. Talk with our team to prepare for upcoming evaluations and protect your workforce.
Ashley Mayo is an Injury Prevention Specialist at Fit For Work, supporting clients across a wide range of industries. She holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Utica University and is a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE).
Since joining Fit For Work in 2022, Ashley has designed and delivered customized ergonomic assessments and solutions for manufacturing, food distribution, and construction environments. With a strong interest in how the human body interacts with its surroundings, she is committed to creating safer, more efficient workplaces through inclusive design and data‑driven solutions.
