We discuss the five common workplace injuries to look out for and how you can stay safe this year!
Slip and Fall Accidents
While all too common, slip and fall accidents can be easily prevented. If you've ever stood on a wet floor at work and slipped, you know how devastating this kind of accident can be. It's important to remember that slip and fall accidents are often the result of negligence on the part of supervisors or employers who fail to maintain safe working conditions.
As such, it's important that you report any unsafe conditions immediately so they can be addressed promptly by management or maintenance staff.
The consequences of falling are broken bones, sprains/strains (especially neck strains), concussions from hitting your head against objects around you when falling down stairs, etc.
So make sure your workplace has proper lighting around stairwells so as not to trip over something like a shoe lying there; have railings installed along stairways; avoid walking through puddles near exits where people might slip due to rainwater pooling up after heavy rains; remove debris from floors wherever possible (including under desks) so no one gets injured tripping over something sharp like nails sticking out from underneath furniture legs etc., keep spills swept up as soon as possible before they get sticky enough.
Muscle Strain
Muscle strain is a common injury, especially among construction workers. A muscle strain occurs when muscle fibers are stretched beyond their normal range of motion, most commonly at the site where two muscles join together. This can damage the muscle and surrounding tissue, resulting in pain and sometimes swelling or bruising.
Car Accidents
Car accidents are not just a danger for employees who drive themselves to work or run errands during their lunch break. Car accidents can occur in any workplace where there are motorized vehicles, such as warehouses and factories that use forklifts or construction sites with dump trucks and cement mixers.
To reduce the risk of car accidents in your business, ensure all employees receive proper training about handling machinery safely and responsibly before operating them alone. If you have vehicle fleets that don't belong to your company (such as rental cars), make sure you have an agreement with each client detailing how they'll pay for damage caused by their employees while using these vehicles on company time.
Falling Boxes or Other Objects
As a general rule, you should always be careful when carrying objects. But in the workplace, the likelihood of an accident is higher. Many things can happen to you if you need to be more careful about handling heavy or bulky items.
When carrying a box, take it one step at a time, and keep your balance. If that isn't possible for whatever reason—perhaps because the stairs are too steep or there's debris on them—don't try to hurry up or rush through the process. Instead, set down your load and use both hands when going up and down the steps; this will help prevent accidents from happening at all!
On average, people who work with objects such as boxes have an increased risk of tripping over them due to their size and weight compared to other everyday items like pens or paper clips which aren't usually as wide but still weigh enough so they can cause serious injury if someone walks into them without looking first (which tends not to happen often). So make sure everyone knows where everything goes before putting anything into storage areas/rooms etc., especially if there are no lights nearby.
Cuts
Cuts and scrapes can be serious, so you should seek medical attention if any cuts seem deep or if you have a wound that doesn't heal within several days.
For minor cuts, clean with soap and water before disinfecting with an antiseptic wipe (such as rubbing alcohol). You can also use hydrogen peroxide to clean out any dirt and pus from the wound.
To prevent cuts in the first place:
- Use protective gloves when handling hazardous materials or sharp objects.
- Keep your work area well-lit so you can see what's happening around you at all times.
- Make sure there isn't any debris on the ground where it's easy for someone to slip and fall; keep floors free of ice or snow during winter months as well!
The Law Office of George P. Escobedo & Associates, PLLC is here for you when you call (210) 807-3178 today for an initial consultation.