No one wants to get injured, and as long as the correct health and safety procedures and guidance have been followed, most workplace accidents are completely avoidable. Employees need to have faith in their employers and know that they’re taking their health and wellbeing seriously. After all, why would you want to work for a company that happily puts your safety and risk?
However, despite stringent rules and regulations, often it’s simple human error and oversight that leads to accidents. But, it’s still the role of your employer to do everything they can to prevent these incidents from occurring. If you’ve been injured and it could have been avoided, then speak to a Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
So, what are the most common injuries in the workplace? Read on to find out more.
Head injuries
Ouch! Being hit by any kind of debris or object is painful enough, but if you’re unlucky enough to be struck by a falling object in a warehouse then you could be hospitalized with serious head injuries. Head injuries could mean months or even years of rehabilitation, or they could leave you with a permanent disability.
The best way for these kinds of injuries to be avoided is by ensuring all objects are stored correctly and only retrieved by those who have been appropriately trained. Storage cages, straps and maximum weight restrictions on shelves and units will help reduce the possibility of an accident.
Broken bones
Broken bones can occur in all kinds of scenarios, even in the workplace. Perhaps you’re walking along and your trip over a wire or cable, or you fall over someone’s bag, trip down the stairs or slip on a wet floor. Whether it’s your arm, your leg, hip or knee, the pain is excruciating, and recovery can take months. Not forgetting the additional time you’ll spend in rehabilitation and physical therapy.
Broken bones often occur due to slips, trips and falls, so the best way to avoid these is by ensuring thoroughfares, walkways and stairwells are kept clear and any potential trip hazards are promptly removed.
Chemical burns
If you work in an environment where chemicals are present, either industrial chemicals or even cleaning products, then you could be at risk of serious chemical burns if your health and safety aren’t taken seriously. Severe skin and eye reactions and of course respiratory problems are likely if you continually breathe in these dangerous fumes. The side effects of these could be instantaneous or manifest as cancers later on in life.
To avoid these issues, every employer should provide high-quality safety equipment to anyone who handles or is exposed to chemicals as part of their daily working life. Goggles, respiratory masks, gloves and other forms of PPE should be readily available.
And finally, RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury)
If you complete the same task every single day by using the same motions and movements then you could be at risk of RSI. This painful condition impacts your joints and is incredibly debilitating.
Employers should always encourage staff to take regular breaks and provide ergonomic equipment to support their staff.
