Each workplace has its potential dangers and each employee can suffer a variety of injuries due to them. In order to help stop workplace accidents from occurring, it is useful to know what accidents are causing what injuries the most often. Employers especially should know this information so they can double- and triple-check areas in the workplace that could be prone to causing or housing hazards.
According to the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, the five most common workplace injuries are:
- Overexertion: Serious muscle strain over a sustained period of time can lead to overexertion injuries. Load crews that need to lift, push, or carry shipments or freight throughout their shifts are particularly susceptible to overexertion at work. Many overexertion injuries are considered quite serious and can take a worker off the force for a few weeks, such as a hernia.
- Slip and Fall Injuries: Cluttered workspaces or slippery flooring are the second leading cause of injuries while at work. Many of these injuries occur in office locations, where loose cables or wires may be partially out of sight.
- Falls from heights: Even worse than tripping over something and falling but also slightly more rare, falls from considerable heights – usually 10 feet or more, or at least one flight of stairs – cause billions in injury costs each year. Construction workers must be careful whenever they are off the ground or ascending the jobsite.
- Bodily reaction: The accumulation of stress can cause an adverse bodily reaction. For example, a person who sits for 8 hours a day with very limited movement may eventually have leg troubles due to poor blood circulation.
- Struck by object: Falling objects or flying shrapnel pose significant hazards to personnel. Many “struck by object” claims involve retail workers hit by product falling from overstock locations, as these workers are not provided with hard hats. A potential consequence of being hit with an object at the worksite is a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Have you been injured in any of the aforementioned workplace accidents? Does your employer not take your case seriously, despite the prevalence of your injury? It is time to contact our Orange County workers’ compensation attorneys from Humphreys & Associates. We can bring 20+ years of experience to you, whether you are at home, work, or the hospital, and help explain your rights so you know what to expect in your workers’ comp claim.