Discrete Order Picking
Single order picking from case and each locations, covering pick path discipline, label and scan verification at every pick, safe reaching and manual lifting practice, and positioning of the pick cart or pallet clear of the aisle travel path.
- Audience
- Order picking associates
- Review cycle
- annual
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-14
- Revision
- 1
Discrete Order Picking: what is in the procedure
7 sections. Regulatory language is fixed and passes through verbatim. Sections marked customized get rewritten around your facility, your equipment, and your job titles.
- 01
Purpose
FixedThis procedure establishes how a single customer order is picked from assigned locations, verified, and staged.
- 02
Scope
CustomizedThis procedure applies to discrete order picking, where one associate picks one order at a time to completion.
- 03
Responsibilities
CustomizedPickers follow the assigned pick path, scan and verify every pick, keep the cart or pallet clear of the aisle travel path, and stop and report any location or product condition that is unsafe or does not match.
- 04
Procedure: Pick Path and Aisle Positioning
FixedWork the order in the sequence the system assigns.
- 05
Procedure: Scan Verification and Safe Retrieval
CustomizedVerify every pick against the system before the product goes in the container.
- 06
Exception and Short Pick Handling
CustomizedStop and resolve rather than substituting by judgment whenever any of the following occurs: the location scan rejects, the product at the location does not match the directed item...
- 07
References
Fixed29 CFR 1910.176 Handling materials, general.
Regulatory references
Discrete Order Picking: 29 CFR 1910.176(a)
Every SOP generated from this template cites the paragraphs below, with a plain-language summary of what each one requires. Citations are informational and are not legal advice.
Where mechanical handling equipment is used, sufficient safe clearances shall be allowed for aisles, at loading docks, through doorways and wherever turns or passage must be made.
| Standard | Title | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| 29 CFR 1910.176(a) | Handling materials, general: use of mechanical equipment | Where mechanical handling equipment is used, sufficient safe clearances must be allowed for aisles, at loading docks, through doorways, and wherever turns or passage must be made. Aisles and passageways must be kept clear and in good repair, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard, and permanent aisles must be appropriately marked. |
| 29 CFR 1910.22(a) | Walking-working surfaces: general requirements | Walking-working surfaces must be kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition, free of hazards such as sharp or protruding objects, loose boards, spills, and debris that create slip, trip, or fall hazards. |
| 29 CFR 1910.176(b) | Handling materials, general: secure storage | Storage of material must not create a hazard. Bags, containers, bundles, and other material stored in tiers must be stacked, blocked, interlocked, and limited in height so that the storage is stable and secure against sliding or collapse. |
Compliance checklist
Discrete Order Picking: what an inspector looks for
Aisles, cross aisles, and passageways are kept clear of carts, pallets, and totes during picking
29 CFR 1910.176(a)
Pick aisle floors are kept clean and free of wrap, banding, dunnage, and spills
29 CFR 1910.22(a)
Picked loads are built stable and square with no overhang and are limited in height so they are secure against sliding or collapse
29 CFR 1910.176(b)
Loads are kept below the height at which they block the picker's view of the aisle ahead
Every pick is verified by scanning the location and the item and confirming a counted quantity
Associates never climb on rack, shelving, pallets, or carts to reach product
Templates related to Discrete Order Picking
All Picking templates- PickingRev 1
Full Case and Pallet Picking
Full case picking from pallet storage locations and full pallet pulls from reserve...
- Regulatory references
- 4 CFR refs
- Sections
- 7 sections
- Review cadence
- annual review
- PickingRev 1
Wave and Zone Picking
Wave released zone picking where an order is built by passing a tote through several pick zones...
- Regulatory references
- 3 CFR refs
- Sections
- 8 sections
- Review cadence
- annual review
- PickingRev 1
Batch Picking with Carts
Multi order batch picking to a tote cart, covering batch manifest verification...
- Regulatory references
- 2 CFR refs
- Sections
- 7 sections
- Review cadence
- annual review
- PPERev 1
Hearing Protection and Noise Exposure Control
Identifying high-noise equipment and areas in a warehouse, controlling noise at the source where feasible...
- Regulatory references
- 8 CFR refs
- Sections
- 8 sections
- Review cadence
- annual review
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This page is informational and is not legal advice. Have a qualified safety professional review any procedure before it goes into service at your facility.