8 Most Common Causes of Workplace Accidents

No matter how safe your working environment may be, there is always the risk of meeting unforeseen accidents. The only way to avoid these accidents is by knowing their causes.
You especially need to know them if you work in an industrial environment, handle hazardous material, or are exposed to life-threatening gases. Accidents in any of these environments may lead to temporary or permanent disability.
To help you out, here are the top 8 reasons for workplace accidents your Burbank personal injury attorney suggests you know.

1. Fatigue

You are overworked. Yet to support your family, you are working extra shifts despite the overexertion. The lack of adequate breaks often pushes the employees into grueling manual labor.
This could result in a fatal injury that may involve organs and even lead to death if you operate machinery when exhausted.
A 10-minute pause goes a long way in avoiding such accidents. It refreshes you and makes you alert, thus helps prevent accidents.

2. Poor Lighting

Another top reason for frequent industrial accidents is poor lighting conditions. Due to this, many employees tend to fall or slip in their endangered working zones and fall prey to fatal accidents.
Poor lighting conditions are also bad at white-collar workspaces. Prolonged exposure to poor lighting may lead to vision-related issues like poor eyesight, frequent headaches, etc.

3. Falls and Trips

High traffic corridors and slick floors account for one of the significant causes of workplace accidents. According to Hartford Insurance, the highest percentage of workplace comp cases, about 27%, are for falls, slips, and trips.
And the primary causes for these slips and falls are slippery and wet floors, loose carpeting, flooring, or uneven walking spaces.

4. Hazardous Material

Employees in most industrial work environments handle hazardous chemicals, which often lead to accidental injuries and death every year.
The primary cause of these accidents is the absence of proper training. Employees need to be taught:

• How to handle such materials/chemicals
• The consequences of not wearing personal protective equipment
• The effects of lack of ventilation
• The importance of working in proper lighting conditions

5. Dehydration

The lack of adequate hydration leads to severe consequences like dizziness. It can lead to falls while working on dangerous machinery or slips while moving from one place to another.
Working in scorching environments without drinking adequate fluids/water may also lead to cardiac arrest or brain stroke. The best way to avoid this is through adequate hydration facilities like drinking sufficient water, rest, and ventilation.

6. Stress

Constant work pressures to meet stringent deadlines often lead to mental stress to both Blue and white-collar employees Stress can distract a person mentally, physically, and emotionally, thus leading to distraction while at work.
When under stress, employees tend to ignore basic safety rules when in a hurry to complete work targets. This can lead to fatal injuries and accidents.

7. Violence at Workplace

Political and personal conflicts of interest at the workplace often lead to fights amongst employees and possible workplace violence. Peer mediation and a clear conflict resolution policy help avoid such situations to provide a safer environment for your employees.

8. Lifting

Lifting to load/unload heavy objects is common in most workplaces. These heavy goods can lead to sprain, strain, or muscle tears. It, in turn, harms the employees’ working capacity.
Not only is the back affected, but there is also the risk of broken toes if the heavy object is accidentally dropped. These accidents can be prevented by using the many tools and equipment available nowadays. They help with the safe lifting and transportation of heavy goods from one place to another.

Your Personal Injury Attorney in Burbank Can Help

If injured at the workplace, the first thing to do is inform your seniors about the incident and get treated. You next need to consult your Burbank personal injury lawyer. They will prove helpful in claiming your rightfully deserved workers’ compensation.