Most Common Workplace Accidents

ambulance

Whether you are an employer or an employee, there is always the potential for accidents to occur at work. By knowing and understanding what some of the most common of these are, you put yourself in the best possible position to be able to prevent them. From all perspectives, this is going to be beneficial. Many of these accidents are universal to all sorts of different workplaces, so let’s get into looking at some of them in a greater level of detail.

Falls, Slips, and Trips 

While you cannot always prevent people from falling over, there are some common reasons why this may occur more often than it strictly needs to. For example, if there is constantly debris left all over the place, this is obviously going to present a problem. Similarly, if your workspace has a floor that is always being over polished, this represents another potential issue. So, you should take steps to implement a policy that prevents these problems as widely as possible. Another potential risk comes from working at height – such as up a ladder. You want to do everything that you can to make this as safe as possible. Otherwise, there is a strong possibility that accident lawyers will need to be called. 

Muscle Strains 

While these may not prove to be as serious as a fall, trip, or slip, muscle strains can still be debilitating, and last a long time – particularly if they occur in your back or neck area. These often occur when lifting heavy objects, so it certainly needs to be made clear that there should be a solid standardized lifting system that prevents this from occurring as far as possible. Basic training may be all that is required here. Alternatively, you have another type of strain, which is repetitive strain injury. This is most commonly associated with using computer keyboards – though it can occur with any repetitive joint motion. Taking enough breaks throughout the day can be enough to keep this particular problem at bay. Also, the use of ergonomic equipment can be helpful too. 

Being Hit by Falling Objects

Objects are more likely to fall on workers when they are not properly stacked, so this is the first problem to be wary of. Bear in mind that this is not limited to only occurring in warehouse environments. Sometimes, things can fall down from shelves or cupboards. This is why you need to be particularly careful when keeping anything heavy at a great height. The safe storage of items may seem like a minor concern, but it is certainly worth drilling into your employees – or learning thoroughly if you are a worker yourself. 

Crashes and Collisions 

Crashes and collisions can occur in the workplace in vehicles such as forklift trucks. They can also happen away from the main working site in a car, van, or another type of vehicle. As you will have already been able to pre-empt, these can be hugely dangerous and even fatal. Therefore, you need to do everything that you can as an employer to prevent these from occurring. Providing adequate training is certainly your first step in this regard. You should also make sure that all appropriate personal protective equipment is worn at all times. As well as this, every single vehicle needs to be properly serviced to ensure that it is in the best working order. In an event of a car accident due to company vehicle malfunction, you deserve justice through fair compensation, Attorney Bill Odum can help you out with this.

Knee injury

Cuts and Lacerations 

Next up on the list, we have cuts and lacerations, which are often caused by tools. These can range from power saws to paper shredders, so do not assume that any tool is entirely safe. Everything has the potential to cause harm if it is not used in the proper manner. Again, training is one of the best ways of combating this particular problem. Poor safety procedures are another potential source of concern. Plus, if you are an employer, you can help to prevent potential issues by providing safety equipment. 

Toxic Fumes 

Sometimes, workplaces are going to require the use of chemicals of some description. The risk of a skin or eye reaction can be potentially dangerous. Some of the best safety equipment to prevent these problems include gloves and safety goggles. Dangerous exposure needs to be minimized in the most effective way that it possibly can be. 

Workplace accidents and injuries are always going to be possible but reducing the risk factors is something that should occur in every responsible company. As an employer or an employee, you should certainly take note of this.