Five Common Workplace Injuries and How to Avoid Them
Workplace accidents may happen anytime and cause different injuries.
Workers may sustain mild injuries from accidents, like simple cuts or bruises, but they may also acquire permanent disabilities. They may then hire a Burbank workers’ compensation attorney to claim benefits. And their employer must pay the compensation claim to cover medical expenses and lost wages.
However, no one wants to undergo the hassles and discomforts of sustaining injuries, and employers don’t want to spend unnecessarily. Thus, it’s better to prevent injury-causing accidents from happening in the first place.
So, here is a list of the five most common workplace injuries and tips to avoid them.
Avoid these Common Injuries in Your Workplace
1. Overexertion and Repetitive Stress Injuries
Overexertion and repetitive stress are the most common injuries that lead to workers’ comp claims.
They result from poor work routines like completing repetitive movements over long hours or lifting heavy objects. These activities strain different body parts and cause mild or severe health problems.
Providing comfortable workplaces and enough break time helps workers avoid these injuries. Employees should stretch and relax their bodies while resting, and they should not lift more than 50lbs objects manually.
2. Vehicular Accidents
Some workers are exposed to different vehicular accidents while working outdoors. An example is a driver involved in a road accident or an employee hit by a car while on duty.
Thus, employers should keep their vehicles in good condition, and their drivers should be careful on the road. Employers should also track their employees while working outdoors to ensure safety.
Moreover, the workplace should have designated safe walkways that prevent employees from walking through vehicle entryways and parking lots.
3. Slips, Trips, and Falls
Many workers sustain injuries because of slipping, tripping, and falling.
Workers may stumble and fall because of a slippery or uneven floor surface. And they may also fall to a lower level while working on a high point like on a roof.
Proper workplace maintenance is vital to avoid these accidents. The employer must clean spills, remove obstacles, and fix uneven flooring. Providing adequate lighting helps workers see better and avoid accidents too.
Moreover, employees must use the correct safety gear and equipment while working on a high point,
4. Equipment and Object Accidents
Many workplace accidents involve different equipment and objects hurting employees, like:
- Getting hit by a flying or hanging object
- Getting hit by falling objects
- Limbs caught and crushed by operating machines
- Getting compressed between heavy objects
These injuries result in permanent and severe disabilities and even life-threatening conditions. Thus, employers and employees must take extra precautions when working with dangerous equipment and objects.
For example, employees should stay clear of swinging crane hooks and be careful when approaching racks with heavy objects on top.
5. Chemical Hazards
Hazardous chemical exposure causes critical health risks like:
- Respiratory infection
- Skin irritation and skin disorders
- Eye irritation and blindness
- Cancer
- Death
Some hazardous chemicals are flammable, like fuel, solvents, and gas, triggering fire breakout and explosion.
Thus, it’s vital to teach workers how to handle each unique chemical and make them wear proper safety gear.
Moreover, employers should keep a chemical safety data sheet as a guide and place appropriate labels on all chemical containers.
Call a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Burbank to Know More about Workplace Safety
Although accidents may happen anytime, you can avoid them by following proper safety protocols. Both employers and employees should observe these guidelines for a safe working environment.
Consulting a Burbank workers’ compensation attorney helps you know more about workplace safety protocols. They will also help if you need to claim workers’ comp after an accident.