George K.
The workplace can be hazardous where accidents can happen to employees. The degree of injury varies on the type of work you have. Regardless of how careful you are to protect yourself, there are instances that you’ll encounter unavoidable accidents. Several unforeseen circumstances, all types of injuries can happen anytime, even at your cubicle, or any area of your workplace. These unfortunate events can cost both the employer and the employee valuable time and money.
Hundreds of thousands of workplace accidents happened in workplaces every year based on recent studies. That’s why it is essential to be prepared to reduce the risks and limit the impacts, learn to prevent accidents from occurring by completing an OSHA 10 online training course, and limit the impacts of workplace hazards before they pose a problem.
In this writing, let us discuss the common injuries at work to help you prevent and prepare for these unfortunate circumstances.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Whatever work settings you have, you’ll always come across slippery surfaces. Whether you are working in shops, offices, factories and other types of workplace. The highest risks are those working on high grounds including construction sites, using ladders, and other dangerous platforms. The main causes of this accident are wet or oily floors, icy steps, loose rugs, poor lighting, clutter, uncovered cables, disarranged furniture, and a lot more. Somehow, we can prevent this kind of accident from happening by taking extra precautions. If you see the wet floor, advise the janitor, and ensure having a caution sign in the area. Damaged floors and loose rugs should be repaired immediately, and keep things orderly.
Vehicle-Related Accidents
Accidents resulting from crashes and collisions are also frequent at work. If there are mechanically propelled vehicles involved, there’s a potential for an accident. These may include being struck or run over by a truck, or any moving vehicle, falling from the vehicle, or getting stuck or crushed by a big object. According to the experts from https://www.injury-attorneys.com/truck-accident-lawyers/, in a collision involving trucks, the car passenger occupant is at high risk to be injured or killed compared to the truck driver. It is not also recommended for the victims to take action and settle things just by themselves. To have the compensation that is right for you, guidance from an experienced attorney is highly suggested. Avoiding these types of accidents start from assessing the risks, checking the area, and making the obstructions clearly visible.
Repetitive Motion Injuries
This is common in office settings where employees are mainly typing and seating for the entire shift. It sounds less obvious to worry about, but this is harmful in the long run. Repetitive typing and using computers for several hours can damage the muscles and tendons, causing joint and back pains, carpal tunnel syndrome, and vision problems. To prevent these from happening, make sure to stretch once in a while and take short breaks from work.
Injury Due to Moving Machinery
Work that involves heavy machinery is also at high risk of accidents. These are common in factories, farms, and construction sites with different types of equipment. Machines that are not safely guarded, not properly maintained are hazardous to employees. When a person’s body parts get stuck or caught in, the results are indeed disastrous. The outcome includes but is not limited to loss of hands and arms, eyesight, and death in extreme cases. The best way to avoid mechanical accidents is to ensure every machine is safeguarded, well maintained, the staff gets proper training of the functions, and wear the appropriate protective gears.
Fire and Explosion Accidents
Fire and explosions in the workplace usually happen due to faulty electrical wires, gas lines, and improper storage of combustible materials. The range of impact varies from minor damages to potential casualties.
Employees may experience damage to the respiratory system, degrees of burns, and other devastating effects. The company should follow the recommended hazard and safety precautions, proper communication to the staff, and appropriate disposal of chemicals that may trigger the accident.
A holistic approach is necessary for a company to protect the employees from the unfortunate circumstances mentioned above. Adherence to government safety standards is essential, and the facility should be compliant with environmental regulations. Regardless of the nature of work, employees should be properly trained, with clear communication on how to report potentially hazardous events. Accidents in the workplace can affect productivity, operations, and revenue. In some cases, a fire and explosion caused bankruptcy to small businesses. Unforeseen scenarios like this are very stressful to handle both employees and the employer. We hope all this information has been helpful in terms of protecting yourself at work.
