The hidden labour and safety costs of the e-commerce packaging boom

The growth of e-commerce has increased demand for corrugated boxes and protective packaging, placing new pressures on manufacturers and their workers.

Behind the drive for faster production and delivery lie industrial safety risks, demanding workloads and growing concerns about automated performance monitoring.

Every e-commerce parcel begins a chain of industrial activity long before it reaches a customer’s doorstep.

Paper mills produce the linerboard and fluting used to make corrugated cardboard. Packaging plants convert these materials into boxes, while specialist suppliers manufacture adhesives, tapes, labels and protective packaging. Warehouse workers then assemble, fill, seal and dispatch the packages.

The expansion of online shopping has placed new demands on this network. Manufacturers must respond to fluctuating order volumes, varied packaging specifications and tight delivery schedules while maintaining quality and efficiency.

For workers, these demands can mean repetitive tasks, physically demanding shifts and pressure to keep production lines running.

Public scrutiny of e-commerce working conditions has largely focused on delivery drivers and fulfilment centres. Yet the industrial workforce producing the packaging itself receives less attention.

Employees in paper mills, corrugated packaging plants and materials manufacturing facilities face hazards involving heavy machinery, high temperatures, large material loads and, in some operations, industrial chemicals.

The challenge for the packaging industry is to meet changing customer demands without allowing production pressures to compromise worker safety.

How e-commerce is reshaping packaging production

Corrugated packaging plays a central role in online retail. Unlike many products purchased in physical shops, goods ordered online often require individual shipping boxes and protective materials to withstand repeated handling, sorting and transportation.

This creates demand for corrugated board, void-fill materials, cushioning, adhesives, tapes and labels.

E-commerce is not the only influence on packaging production. Industrial activity, retail spending, product design and material efficiency also shape demand. However, online fulfilment presents particular challenges because packaging requirements can vary considerably between orders.

Manufacturers may need to produce different box sizes, board grades and quantities within short delivery windows.

Corrugating lines must manufacture board to specification, while converting equipment cuts, prints, folds and glues it into finished boxes. Changes in product specifications or production runs can require machinery adjustments, cleaning, inspections and additional material handling.

These activities demand careful coordination, particularly where employees work alongside high-speed automated equipment.

For manufacturers, the challenge is to maintain production flexibility without reducing the time available for safe machine operation, maintenance and product changeovers.

The industrial hazards of corrugated packaging manufacturing

Corrugated packaging production involves several processes, each presenting distinct occupational safety risks.

Paper mills manufacture linerboard and fluting from wood fibre or recovered paper. Corrugating plants combine these materials using heat, pressure and adhesives before converting machinery produces finished boxes.

Workers may operate close to rotating rollers, cutting equipment, conveyors and heated surfaces. Depending on the facility, they may also encounter excessive noise, dust, heavy loads and chemical exposure.

The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) identifies packaging machinery as a source of potentially serious or fatal injuries, particularly during cleaning, maintenance and the removal of blockages.

One of the greatest dangers arises when workers attempt to clear a jam or adjust equipment without properly isolating its energy supply.

Machinery can retain electrical, mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic energy after normal operation has stopped. Unexpected movement can cause crushing injuries, entanglement or contact with cutting equipment.

Lockout and tagout procedures are designed to prevent unexpected machinery activation during maintenance and repair.

Other hazards include forklift movements, vehicle collisions, fire risks and the handling of large paper reels or stacked materials.

These risks are well established. The concern is whether production schedules, staffing levels and maintenance arrangements provide sufficient time and resources to control them effectively.

When production targets become a safety concern

High production targets are not inherently unsafe. Packaging manufacturers depend on efficient equipment, reliable schedules and measurable performance standards.

Risks can increase when output expectations are poorly matched to staffing levels, equipment capabilities or the time required to complete tasks safely.

A corrugated box production line, for example, may need cleaning, inspection or adjustment between orders. If schedules do not allow sufficient time for these activities, employees can face conflicting demands between meeting production targets and following established safety procedures.

Unexpected breakdowns create similar pressures. A stopped production line can threaten delivery commitments, increasing the urgency to restore operations.

In these circumstances, supervisors need the authority to stop unsafe work, while maintenance teams require sufficient time to isolate machinery and complete repairs correctly.

Fatigue is another concern. Long shifts, excessive overtime and inadequate recovery periods can affect concentration, reaction times and decision-making.

These effects are particularly important in facilities where employees work around moving machinery or perform repetitive tasks.

For manufacturers, output per hour is therefore an incomplete measure of performance. Staffing levels, equipment condition, working hours and safety compliance also influence operational reliability.

The physical demands of packing and fulfilment

The labour demands of e-commerce extend beyond manufacturing plants into warehouses and distribution centres.

Picking, packing, labelling, sorting and palletising can involve repeated movements, prolonged standing, lifting and manual handling throughout a shift.

These activities can contribute to musculoskeletal disorders affecting the back, shoulders, wrists and hands. The level of risk depends on factors including load weight, repetition, posture, task duration and opportunities for recovery.

Packaging design can influence these conditions.

Oversized cartons may require additional handling and protective filling. Poorly positioned workstations can increase bending and reaching, while heavy or awkwardly shaped packages make lifting more difficult.

Appropriately sized boxes, adjustable workstations and mechanical handling equipment can reduce unnecessary physical effort.

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) identifies repetitive movements, heavy lifting and awkward postures as important workplace injury risks. Its warehousing guidance also highlights concerns about fast work rates and continuous performance monitoring.

For packaging designers and brand owners, the implications extend beyond material efficiency. Box dimensions, weight and packing methods can affect the physical demands placed on workers throughout distribution.

Packaging designed for easier handling can support both operational efficiency and occupational health.

Automated monitoring and the pressure to perform

Digital monitoring has changed how packaging manufacturers and logistics operators measure productivity.

Manufacturing systems can track machine output, downtime, material waste and production speeds. Warehouse management software can monitor order completion, picking accuracy and the movement of goods through distribution centres.

These technologies can help managers identify bottlenecks, improve maintenance planning and allocate resources more efficiently.

However, concerns arise when performance monitoring focuses on individual employees without adequately accounting for the conditions in which they work.

A system measuring items processed per hour may not reflect differences in product weight, packaging complexity, equipment faults or the time required for safe handling.

When performance targets overlook these factors, workers may feel pressure to maintain speed even when tasks become more difficult or hazardous.

OSHA warns that workplace stress and fatigue associated with fast work rates and continuous performance monitoring can increase injury risks and worsen musculoskeletal problems.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

The distinction between monitoring equipment and monitoring employees is important. Machine data can help identify faults and improve production reliability. Individual performance tracking, particularly when linked to disciplinary decisions, can influence worker behaviour and wellbeing.

These concerns also apply to packaging manufacturing, although monitoring practices and associated risks differ between facilities.

Employers need performance measures that reflect actual working conditions, clear rules governing personal data and meaningful opportunities for employees to raise concerns.

Digital monitoring should help identify unsafe workloads and operational problems, rather than simply increase production speed.

Automation changes rather than eliminates safety risks

Automation offers opportunities to reduce physically demanding work across the packaging supply chain.

Robotic palletisers can limit repetitive lifting, automated conveyors can reduce manual transport, and mechanical reel-handling systems can help workers manage heavy materials.

In fulfilment operations, automated packing equipment can select box sizes, dispense protective materials and seal cartons with less manual intervention.

However, replacing manual tasks with automated machinery introduces different safety requirements.

Maintenance technicians may need to enter areas containing robotic equipment, conveyors and complex electrical systems. Unexpected movement or the release of stored energy can cause serious injuries.

The HSE identifies unexpected machine movement, falling loads and stored energy as hazards associated with palletising machinery.

HSE

Effective automation therefore depends on suitable guarding, safety interlocks, emergency stops and procedures for safely isolating equipment.

Machinery design also matters. Equipment that provides safe access for inspection, cleaning and maintenance can reduce the need for workers to enter hazardous areas.

Training must keep pace with technological change. Employees need to understand normal operating procedures and the risks associated with equipment faults and maintenance.

For packaging manufacturers, the value of automation should be assessed through its contribution to safety, quality and operational reliability, as well as production capacity.

The overlooked risks in paper mills and packaging plants

The industrial workforce supplying e-commerce packaging faces hazards that differ significantly from those encountered in fulfilment centres.

Paper mill employees handle large reels and work around high-temperature equipment, moving machinery and complex production systems. Corrugated packaging workers operate cutting, printing, folding and stacking equipment. Adhesive manufacturers may encounter chemical and process-related hazards.

These workers are essential to packaging supply, yet their working conditions are less visible to the retailers and consumers relying on their products.

The HSE identifies contact with moving machinery as one of the leading causes of injury in the paper and corrugated sectors. Its guidance highlights inadequate guarding, unsafe interventions and failures to isolate equipment as contributing factors.

HSE

Manual handling is another significant concern. The HSE notes that moving paper reels, stacks of board and machinery components can cause injuries, with the size and shape of materials presenting risks even when loads are not exceptionally heavy.

HSE

These hazards require specialised controls, including machinery risk assessments, preventive maintenance, safe access arrangements and appropriate technical training.

For packaging buyers, this raises questions about supply chain oversight.

Retailers may have detailed information about safety practices in their own distribution centres but considerably less visibility into conditions at the mills and converting plants supplying their packaging.

Supplier assessments can help close this gap by examining machinery safeguards, employee training, incident reporting and maintenance procedures alongside quality, cost and environmental performance.

Buyers must also consider how their purchasing practices affect suppliers. Unpredictable orders, frequent specification changes and unrealistic delivery deadlines can create pressure throughout the production network.

What injury statistics reveal about e-commerce safety

Workplace injury data can help identify hazards and evaluate safety performance. However, comparisons between packaging manufacturing and warehousing require careful interpretation.

Countries use different reporting systems, while broad industry classifications can combine activities with substantially different risk profiles.

A 2024 report by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the transportation and warehousing sector recorded an estimated 3.8 serious injury and illness cases per 100 full-time workers in 2022, the highest rate among 19 private industry sectors examined.

The measure covers non-fatal injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work, job transfers or restricted duties.

U.S. GAO

Crucially, these figures do not establish the injury rate for corrugated packaging plants or paper mills.

Evidence of high injury rates in distribution operations cannot be used to conclude that packaging manufacturers experience identical outcomes.

A fuller assessment requires industry-specific information on machinery incidents, manual handling, maintenance and chemical exposure.

Businesses should also monitor near misses, reported hazards, working hours and the effectiveness of corrective actions.

Low reported injury numbers do not necessarily indicate a safe workplace. Reporting practices, employee confidence and the quality of investigations all affect the information available to management.

The business cost of poor workplace safety

Workplace injuries create costs beyond the immediate harm suffered by employees.

For packaging manufacturers, serious incidents can lead to production stoppages, equipment damage, regulatory investigations, compensation claims and the loss of experienced workers.

Other consequences include replacement staffing, additional training, reduced productivity and disrupted customer deliveries.

Poorly managed workloads can also affect product quality. Errors in box dimensions, printing, adhesive application or packing may result in rejected products, material waste and costly rework.

The HSE identifies substantial business costs associated with manual handling injuries in the paper and corrugated sectors, including production delays, investigations, overtime, recruitment and training.

HSE

These consequences make worker safety a business performance issue, not simply a matter of regulatory compliance.

A plant that relies on repeated emergency maintenance or excessive overtime may struggle to maintain consistent output, even when short-term productivity figures appear strong.

Preventive maintenance, stable staffing and realistic production schedules can support both employee wellbeing and manufacturing reliability.

For packaging buyers, supplier safety performance can provide useful insight into operational resilience and the risk of supply disruption.

Building safer packaging supply chains

Improving workplace safety requires coordinated action across packaging manufacturing, equipment supply, logistics and procurement.

The starting point is to identify the hazards associated with each process. Paper mills, corrugated converting plants, adhesive manufacturers and fulfilment centres have different operating conditions and safety requirements.

Manufacturers can reduce risks through effective machine guarding, preventive maintenance, mechanical handling equipment and procedures for isolating hazardous energy.

Production planning is equally important. Schedules must allow sufficient time for inspection, cleaning, product changeovers and maintenance without encouraging unsafe shortcuts.

Staffing and shift arrangements also need attention. Manageable workloads, adequate breaks and practical training can help reduce fatigue and repetitive strain.

Workers should have opportunities to report hazards and contribute to safety improvements without fear of retaliation. Employees who operate and maintain equipment often have direct knowledge of risks that may not be apparent from production data.

Retailers and brand owners also have a role to play.

Packaging procurement should consider occupational health and safety alongside price, quality, delivery performance and environmental standards. Supplier assessments can examine machinery safeguards, worker training, incident reporting and corrective action.

Commercial relationships matter too. Better demand forecasting, fewer last-minute specification changes and realistic delivery schedules can help manufacturers plan production and staffing more effectively.

The aim is to make safe working practices part of everyday operations rather than treating them as separate requirements.

Why packaging sustainability must include worker safety

Packaging sustainability is often assessed through material consumption, recyclability, carbon emissions and waste reduction.

These measures are important, but they do not capture every aspect of responsible packaging production.

A lighter box may reduce material use and transport requirements, but its design must still allow safe manufacturing, handling and distribution.

Similarly, automated equipment may reduce waste and improve efficiency while introducing new maintenance hazards that require careful management.

Occupational health and safety forms part of the social dimension of environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, alongside working conditions and labour rights.

For packaging manufacturers and buyers, this means considering how materials, equipment, product design and purchasing decisions affect workers throughout the supply chain.

It also creates opportunities for machinery suppliers. Equipment designed for safer maintenance access, reduced manual handling and reliable operation can help manufacturers improve productivity while protecting employees.

Responsible packaging should therefore be assessed not only by its environmental performance, but also by the conditions under which it is produced and handled.

Making worker safety part of packaging performance

E-commerce has increased the importance of fast, flexible packaging supply chains. Yet the industrial hazards associated with paper production, corrugated converting and materials handling remain significant.

As manufacturing becomes more automated and performance monitoring more sophisticated, companies must ensure that safety controls keep pace with operational change.

For packaging manufacturers, this means investing in reliable equipment, practical training, effective maintenance and realistic production planning.

For retailers and brand owners, it means recognising that procurement decisions can influence working conditions far beyond their own facilities.

Productivity and worker protection should not be treated as competing priorities. Safe machinery, skilled employees and well-managed production processes are essential to reliable packaging supply.

The industry’s long-term challenge is not simply to produce more packaging at greater speed. It is to ensure that the people manufacturing and handling those materials are protected as demand evolves.