In the United States, there are an estimated 2 million workplace injuries each year. While many of these injuries are minor and can be treated easily, others can lead to long-term disability or death. Employees need to be aware of the most common workplace injuries to protect themselves from harm.
If you suffer from work-related injuries, you are entitled to compensation. According to lawyers at workinjuryrights.com, having a work injury attorney is often the best way to achieve the compensation you deserve. The benefits received through workers’ comp can help pay medical bills and protect an employee’s financial future if they can no longer work due to their injury.
This article will discuss some of the most common workplace injuries.
Slip and Falls
A slip and fall injury occurs when an individual sustains an injury due to a slippery surface or inadequate safety precautions.
Some of the most common surfaces for slipping include wet or oily areas, loose flooring materials, rugs, floors made of ice or snow, stairs, stepladders without proper handrails, walkways with protruding objects, and uneven ground.
Differentiate between slips and falls because the two injuries often result from similar circumstances. Slip means that one’s foot slides out from under them while falling, implying that the person hits the ground.
While anyone can slip on a slick surface, people who take certain medications may find themselves unable to keep their balance after losing traction beneath their feet. Regardless of whether someone slips or falls, injuries such as broken bones and head trauma can occur.
Repetitive Motion Disorders
These conditions typically develop when an individual performs the same task repeatedly for hours at a time without taking breaks. Some of the most common repetitive motion disorders include carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis and tendinosis, and shoulder problems such as rotator cuff disorder and impingement syndrome.
Symptoms vary slightly depending on which part of the body is affected, but may include:
- Pain.
- Muscle weakness associated with the injury.
- Inflammation around affected joints.
- Loss of ability to move or grip objects normally.
The most effective way to protect oneself against these injuries is to take short breaks throughout one workday, stretch and warm up before engaging in any tasks requiring repetitive motions, and ensure that one’s work area is well lit and safe.
Electrocution
Electrocution occurs when electricity travels through a person’s body, causing significant damage to the heart and other major organs. People who receive an electrical shock often do not realize that they have been injured until much later, due to numbness or tingling around the injury site.
Any source of electricity including faulty wiring, ground faults, power lines outside one’s home or business, frayed extension cords plugged into indoor outlets, overloaded sockets, coming into contact with water while standing on wet ground or swimming in a pool, using appliances during storms, and lightning can cause electrocutions.
Protective steps include turning off any equipment during electrical storms to avoid lightning strikes and avoiding all electrical equipment if standing water is in the area.
Fire And Explosions
Combustible and flammable materials such as paper, chemicals, welding supplies, and electrical equipment are the most common causes of fires.
There is a risk for explosions due to organic peroxides used in chemical manufacturing or laboratories. Other explosion risks include using gasoline-powered lawn mowers indoors and smoking cigarettes while working with chemicals.
To prevent fire and explosion, employees should adhere to all safety protocols regarding hazardous materials and ensure that all machinery is properly vented not to allow combustible fumes to build up. Fire detectors and extinguishers should be placed throughout work areas in an emergency.
Motor vehicle accidents
Motor vehicle accidents are perhaps the most common workplace injury caused by a lack of physical readiness, distractions while driving, failure to obey traffic laws, or being struck by another driver speeding or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Of all fatal workplace injuries, 29% are due to car accidents.
While everyone should ensure that their vehicles are well maintained before operating them for work-related tasks, companies must take additional measures for drivers whose jobs necessitate heavy lifting or frequent travel outside the home. These include ensuring that employees have access to reliable transportation that meets their needs and enforcing strict policies about distracted driving and drug and alcohol use behind the wheel.
Overexertion Injuries
Physical stress at work can cause muscles to rapidly contract and expand while straining joints, bones, tendons, and ligaments. Exertion injuries that may result include:
- Muscle strain or tear.
- Tendinitis or tendinosis (inflammation of the tendon).
- Bursitis (swelling of the fluid sac located around the joint area).
- Arthritis.
Symptoms include pain while attempting to move a specific joint if it has been affected by injury. To prevent overexertion injuries, employees with physically demanding jobs should ensure that proper equipment is being used for heavy lifting or any other activities that might be difficult on the body. Additionally, stretching before engaging in rigorous activity allows one’s muscles to warm up and reduces the likelihood of injury.
Violence at work
Injuries from violence by another party while on the job may occur anywhere from a construction site to an office environment where other employees are abusive towards one another.
Any area that is not well-monitored or securely protected poses a danger for violence, especially if the perpetrator has easy access to weapons such as knives.
Workers are encouraged to protect themselves against threats of violence through:
- Self-defense classes.
- Carrying alarms.
- Wearing protective clothing or backpack inserts.
- Installing metal detectors or security cameras at entrances/exits.
- Establishing a positive rapport with neighbors in the case of shared elevator/walkways.
Animal bites
Being bitten by any animal, whether wild or domesticated, may result in being infected by an animal-borne disease such as rabies if the wound is not treated immediately. If one comes into contact with an animal, they are particularly susceptible to contracting a fatal illness. You should take post-exposure treatment within 24 hours. Even when there is no risk of death or infection, it is essential to seek medical attention after being bitten by an unknown creature because excessive bleeding can occur through puncture wounds and lacerations, leading to shock if not correctly cared for.
In summary, workers should be aware of injuries they may suffer while on the job and how these events can impact their safety and well-being. Every workplace is unique, so preventative measures will depend on working. Those who feel uncomfortable with the amount of risk their occupation poses are encouraged to seek guidance in exploring other available options within or outside your field.