This NAW SmartBrief special report looks at best practices and trends in safety for distributors and the places in which they operate -- distribution centers and warehouses, for sure, but also transportation, corporate offices and other job sites.

Safe workplaces have good processes, communication and cultures, and we're increasingly seeing wearables and other technologies contributing to safety solutions. Read on for more about what smart, safe distributors should be thinking about.

Companies facing supply chain labor shortages must stay focused on safety and should reposition "safety from being perceived as a somewhat passive cost center to one that actively and tangibly boosts the bottom line," writes Robert Pater, creator of the MoveSMART system. Safety isn't simply writing down rules or logging incidents but is a strategic mindset that encompasses physical, mental and cultural preparedness, Pater writes.

Workers are sometimes reluctant to participate in incident investigations, but the resulting information can help prevent future incidents, says Rob Dahl, a risk and safety specialist at CSDZ. Meanwhile, near-misses are just as important to report, especially when safety culture is accompanied by easy reporting tools and thorough data analysis, writes Joe Olesweski of SafetyStratus.

Women in transportation and warehousing suffer a disproportionately high percentage of workplace injuries, and there are other disparities, such as many workplaces lacking properly sized personal protective equipment. "How can she trust her employer if the proper PPE isn't provided?" asks Nicole Randall of the International Safety Equipment Association.

Warehouse workers can be surprisingly optimistic about automated and robotic technology, and the No. 1 reason for optimism is their belief that automation will increase safety, according to Accenture research. The researchers urge further investment in warehouse safety, including exoskeletons, wearables and better safety cultures.

Surveys suggest that wearables and mobile technologies have hit a tipping point of adoption in warehouses, with GXO Logistics finding success and safety improvements with smart glass headsets. "The benefits of ProGlove improve the health and safety of our employees thanks to its ergonomic design, while improving efficiency by 10% and reducing errors by approximately 75% during inventory picking," says Sandeep Sakharkar, chief information officer for GXO Logistics.

Industrial internet of things technology can be used to integrate multiple operations and functions at loading docks into a centralized control system that can improve efficiency, communication and safety, writes Walt Swietlik of Rite-Hite. Retrofitting is often an option for cost-conscious companies looking to improve safety, Swietlik writes.

Lobbies are being revamped with a focus on health and safety as employers bring staffers back to offices. Measures include the use of mobile apps, rather than plastic badges, to verify workers' identity while reducing contact.

Certain industrial job sites require higher levels of respiratory protection, such as respiratory personal equipment, N95 particulate respirators and powered air purifying respirators, writes Alex Birrell, CEO of CleanSpace Technology. Respiratory protection gear must be matched to the environmental conditions, other equipment being worn "and user factors such as hot workplace environments, health conditions, confined workspaces or other relevant conditions to a particular workplace setting," Birrell writes.