PARK RIDGE, IL -- OSHA recently issued a revised National Emphasis Program (NEP) for Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations (Directive CPL 03-00-026), confirming that warehouse safety remains a federal enforcement priority.

Effective July 31, 2026, the revised NEP will remain in place for five years. It reinforces the need for long-term prevention and compliance planning. It targets selected warehousing, postal processing, courier and local delivery establishments. Comprehensive inspections can examine powered industrial vehicles, material handling and storage, walking-working surfaces, emergency egress, fire protection, heat exposure and ergonomic hazards.

For safety professionals working in or supporting these operations, the revised program is an important reminder to look closely at how common warehouse hazards are being managed day to day.

The directive replaces the warehouse emphasis program issued in 2023. Important changes include removing high-injury-rate retail establishments from this specific program and eliminating mandatory heat and ergonomics screening. However, OSHA can still investigate those hazards when injury records, employee interviews or workplace observations indicate a concern.

OSHA cites persistently high injury rates as justification for continuing the program. During the first 18 months of the previous initiative, OSHA identified more than 1,700 violations and removed approximately 37,410 workers from hazardous conditions. Injury and illness rates in courier, delivery and warehousing operations also remain substantially higher than the overall private-industry average. 

For employers covered by the NEP, the revised program is a good reason to review how safety practices are being carried out across their operations. Particular attention should be given to forklift and pedestrian interactions, storage systems, loading docks, emergency exits, repetitive material handling and heat-related risks. Companies operating multiple facilities should also evaluate whether corporate policies are being implemented consistently at every location, including sites that rely on temporary workers, staffing agencies or contractors.

 The directive places greater importance on accurate recordkeeping, field verification and coordination with operations and other areas of the organization. OSHA compliance officers will review injury and illness records for the current year and the previous three years, using those records to identify patterns and determine whether an inspection should be expanded. Safety and health professionals should regularly compare OSHA logs, incident investigations, workers’ compensation data, first-aid reports and near-miss information to identify recurring hazards and opportunities for improvement.

Employers should confirm whether their facilities fall within the covered NAICS codes, review injury trends and conduct focused assessments of vehicle traffic, storage systems, docks, walking surfaces, exits, fire protection, heat exposure and ergonomic risks. The central message is clear: strong EHS performance cannot be separated from daily operations. Strong written programs are important, but what matters most is whether safeguards are understood, implemented and effective where the work is performed.