Some jobs are likely to prove more dangerous than others and there is probably going to be a fair bit of safety training if you work for a responsible employer who is aware of these risks, but there are still a number of accidents in the workplace that could be avoided.
Suffering an injury at work is never going to be good news and sometimes you might have to spend a period of time off work in order to recover. Here is a look at some of the common causes of accidents on the job.
A common problem, whatever the workplace environment
There are many reported accidents and injuries in the workplace every year and they add up to tens of millions of lost work days on an annual basis, and the most likely cause that is going to go down on the report, is either a slip, trip or fall.
Regardless of whether you work in a factory, shop or office, there is every chance that you will come across a slippery or dangerous surface at some point. One of the major issues is a lack of awareness about the potential dangers and a potential problem area not being protected with some adequate signage to warn of a slip or trip hazard.
It only takes a spillage that is not cleared up or dolled off with warning signs, to create a hazard and a potentially nasty slip. Falls from ladders are a common accident in some workplaces but even if you work in an environment that is not perceived to be that dangerous, it only takes a small deviance in surface height, to create a hazard that could result in a bad injury.
Risk of muscle strain
Another common cause of injuries is strained muscles.
It would be hoped that if you have a job that involves regular lifting of heavy or large objects, you will receive a good level of safety training to make you aware of the dangers attached to incorrect lifting, as well as being given some training on correct lifting procedures.
There are plenty of back and neck injuries recorded in offices and shops every year as well. This is often due to the fact that there is not perceived to be such a risk as if you were working in a warehouse for example, but if you don’t use proper lifting techniques, even carrying a box of office items could cause you to suffer an injury.
A lot of screen time
Many of us spend a lot of our working day facing a computer screen and using a keyboard.
Repetitive strain injuries (RSI) are an increasingly common problem and although the most reported incidents will be related to prolonged use of a keyboard or mouse, any repetitive work task can also cause you to suffer from RSI, unless you are given the right ergonomic equipment and are given the opportunity to take regular breaks.
