Most of us like to think our workplace is safe. But even if you’re working in a relatively low-stress and low-risk industry, hazards can hide in plain sight.
Globally, 340 million occupational accidents happen every year. Some of these accidents result in a few scrapes or bruises—nothing serious. But other accidents lead to hospitalization and occasionally even fatalities.
Awareness is the first step to preventing accidents. Let’s look at four of the most common workplace accidents and how to stop them in their tracks.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Sometimes, people simply lose their balance and stumble. Other times, a cluttered or slippery floor is the cause.
Slips, trips, and falls are some of the most common workplace accidents. They account for 26 percent of all workplace injuries. You can’t prevent all slips, trips, and falls, but you can reduce the likelihood of one happening by keeping the floor of your workplace clean and free of debris, ensuring there aren’t any obstacles that workers could trip over. You should also display caution signs near wet areas.
Repetitive Motion Injuries
How many push-ups can you do before you get tired? The reason humans can’t work out indefinitely is that repeated motion tires out our muscles. But intensive workouts aren’t the only thing that can strain our muscles—so can seemingly everyday movements, like clacking away at a keyboard or picking up a phone.
Repetitive motion injuries occur when someone repeatedly performs the same motion without break, thus tiring out the muscles performing that motion. Preventing repetitive motion injuries is easy—give your employees several short breaks throughout the day so they can rest their muscles.
Vehicle Accidents
For people who drive heavy equipment or automobiles as part of their job, there’s always a risk of vehicular accidents. Workers who work around these vehicles are also at risk of being struck. Training your workers on proper equipment use and encouraging safe driving practices can keep vehicular accidents to a minimum.
Collisions With Objects
What kind of objects? Any object that can cause blunt force trauma, generally. Falling boxes and debris on construction sites are two common examples. Objects that fall on, fly toward, or swing at someone can cause serious injury.
You can prevent object collisions by safely storing and stacking objects overhead and ensuring all structures that hold objects (racks, shelves, etc.) have a sturdy construction. You can also post warnings in high-risk zones. Remember to outfit your workers with the proper safety gear as well.
Image Credit: Adobe Stock
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