Keeping Your Eyes Peeled – 7 Deadly Workplace Injuries and How to Steer Clear of Them

Workplace injuries aren’t a new thing. Every year, hundreds of people get hurt on the job, with some even losing their lives on the spot. 

There are steps you can take to minimize the frequency of occurrence and severity of these incidents. Of course, you can’t completely stop or prevent all injuries. But with a bit of caution, you can definitely prevent a few accidents or put in place measures to minimize the consequences. 

The following are seven common workplace injuries and a few tips on how to prevent or minimize their damages;

Overexertion injuries

Overexertion injuries include injuries related to pulling, carrying, lifting, pushing, and throwing activities. The best way to prevent these injuries is to educate workers on proper ways to lift, carry, and pull items. Proper lifting, for instance, greatly reduces chances of back injuries. 

Slipping and tripping injuries

Slips and trips in the workplace are a common occurrence. Some of the leading causes include slippery floors, wet floors, and clatter in the workplace. To prevent slipping and tripping injuries, workers should learn to be aware of what’s going on around them. Proper organization of the workplace is also important. 

Fall from heights

One of the most fatal injuries in the workplace are falls from heights. These injuries claim the lives of dozens of people every month while those who escape often sustain life-impacting injuries. You can prevent falls from height by providing appropriate training and ensuring that any employee working at height wears protective gear. 

Reaction injuries

Reaction injuries occur where a person slips or trips but reacts in time such that they don’t fall. The result is usually muscle injuries, body trauma and several other medical issues. To reduce reaction injuries in the workplace, remove potential causes of trips and slips from the workplace and train workers to be aware of their surroundings.

Falling object injuries

Common in manufacturing and construction industries, falling object injuries involve a heavy object falling onto a person working or walking under it. These injuries are also highly fatal. Fortunately, falling object injuries are covered by general contractor insurance. Still, consider proper training to minimize these injuries. 

Vehicle accidents

Commercial auto accidents are where a person driving a business car gets involved in a car accident. This driver can sustain serious injuries or even lose their life. If there were passengers in the car, these passengers too may suffer serious injuries. To prevent commercial auto accidents, safe-driver training and safe-driver policies are required. 

Repetitive motion injuries

Finally, workers can also sustain what are known as repetitive motion injuries. Repetitive motion injuries include injuries sustained from activities such as typing and using the computer 24/7. Workers often suffer strained muscles, back pain, and vision problems. Employee training and use of ergonomic equipment can help reduce repetitive motion injuries.

Other Injuries to Keep In Mind

While at it, don’t forget to address other types of injuries not mentioned above that could also affect your workforce. These include machine entanglement injuries, walking into injuries, and on the job violent acts. 

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