November through January is brutal in fulfillment. Order volumes triple. Shifts extend to 12 hours. Hands that were fine in September are bleeding by December. Keisha has worked four peak seasons now. She knows the drill.
"By week two, everyone's hands look the same," she says. "Paper cuts from cardboard. Cracks from the dry warehouse air. Tape marks from cheap bandages that don't stay on. Peak destroys hands."
The Peak Challenge
Normal warehouse work is hard on hands. Peak season is worse. Higher rates mean faster handling, more friction, more cuts. Longer shifts mean less recovery time. The cardboard boxes that seemed harmless in October become enemies by December.
"Management gives us bandages. They don't stay on. You're sweating, handling boxes, washing hands — any bandage falls off within an hour. So people don't bother, and their cuts get worse."
A Better System
Keisha discovered self-adhering tape her second peak season. It stays on through a full shift. It doesn't leave residue that makes boxes slippery. It actually protects the cuts instead of just covering them.
"I tape my fingertips before shift. The cardboard edges hit tape instead of skin. At break, I check and rewrap if needed. By end of shift, the tape's worn but my fingers aren't bleeding."
Surviving Another Season
Peak season is still exhausting. The hours are still long, the rates still demanding. But Keisha's hands survive now. She comes out the other side intact, ready for the slower months to recover fully.
"It's a small thing, but it makes peak bearable. When your hands don't hurt, everything else is easier to handle."