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What To Do About The Most Common Workplace Injuries
A boss has many responsibilities. To keep the lights on, the paychecks in the mail, and the work environment friendly. However, most important of all those is the responsibility you have to keep your team safe and healthy in the workplace. To that end, you need to know the risks and what you can do about them. Here are the most common workplace injuries and how you can stop them.
Sprains and pains
Musculoskeletal issues are becoming more and more common as more job roles resolve around the desk, and a sedentary lifestyle increases both our risk of sudden sprains, as well as the prevalence of repetitive strain injury. Back injuries are most common of all and might be prevented with the right investment in ergonomic furniture. Lifting and handling heavy loads plays just as much a risk in this department, so teaching safe lifting technique and ensuring access to the right machinery is essential.
Slips, trips, and falls
The most common kind of workplace accident of all, these can range from the fairly harmless to the life-risking, especially when heights or hard surfaces are involved. Those surfaces are often the key to determining safety, with options like epoxy flooring designed to improve grip and decrease the rate of accidents. Besides flooring, keeping walkways clean and visible is essential, with both effective lighting for the workplace as well as a policy on not allowing clutter on the floor. At the very least, you can use markers to designate areas that must be kept clear at all times.
Driving accidents
Anyone on the road is at an increased risk of injury and that applies to those employees you have driving, as well. The risk of accidents is even greater for those who drive professionally since they tend to drive more frequently and at longer distances, both of which increases their likelihood of having their focus slip. The best way to mitigate potential accidents on the road is with the use of GPS devices that you can use to monitor and highlight the risky behaviors, such as speed, sudden breaking, and so on that you can later address with your drivers.
Cuts and lacerations
From factory saws to box cutters, the mishandling of blades is another serious cause of injuries both little and large. When it comes to any kind of equipment that’s able to draw blood, effective safety training in how to properly use such equipment is a must. Furthermore, access to personal protective equipment, such as gloves, should be available wherever there are sharp objects. Even those who are most used to using this equipment can slip up from time to time, so making sure that layer of protection is always there is essential at all times.
Every workplace and industry bring their own specific instances of increased risk. It’s important to learn what yours are and to implement the policies of awareness, prevention, and correction that can ensure you’re always doing what you can to create a safer place to work.
