Danger lurks around every corner, especially for clumsy and accident-prone individuals. Accidents happen, and people get injured, even at work. Knowing what the most common workplace injuries are will help you avoid them. The National Safety Council compiles statistics on workplace injuries every year, and they report some eye-popping figures. Did you know that every seven seconds a worker is injured on the job, and 104,000,000 production days are lost to at-work injuries? That’s just the beginning. Being hyper vigilant and avoiding situations won’t always keep you out of harm’s way, though. Study the common injuries, and face the world ready for anything.
Fights at Work
Believe it or not, people physically fight at work. Certain industries expect, and sometimes reward, aggression; sometimes, people can’t turn it off. Tensions can simmer for years, then explode, and the result isn’t pretty.
Walking into Things
It’s super embarrassing, but it happens. With smartphones constantly in hand, no one really pays attention to their surroundings. Their attention is often focused down at their hands and whatever they’re looking at. It’s a bit surprising this isn’t higher on the list. When you aren’t watching where you’re going, you’re going to run into something.
Noise Pollution
Many workers spend their days around airplanes, heavy equipment, or industrial machines that make a lot of noise. Companies try to place more emphasis on wearing personal protection equipment, but sometimes it just isn’t enough. Sometimes, people just forget their ear plugs.
Cuts and Scrapes
Cuts can happen anywhere, even in an office. Paper cuts and lacerations from letter openers can run deep. Industrial and construction jobsites, however, are filled with sharp tools designed to cut wood and steel. It makes sense that once in a while a finger might get in the way.
Crashes and Collisions
Accidents that involve cars, trucks, forklifts, or other motorized machines happen, and the results can be nasty. In a warehouse setting, there can be dozens of forklifts zipping around at once in a ballet of organized chaos. Accidents and mistakes will happen eventually, no matter how well trained the drivers are.
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Repetitive Strain
Better known as carpal tunnel syndrome, it becomes more common year after year. As more people take jobs in the tech industry, and operate a keyboard and mouse all day, the numbers will increase. The injury can also happen to anyone that repeats a specific motion day after day, not just office workers.
Falls and Slips
No matter where you work, in an office, loading dock, or machine shop, you will encounter slippery surfaces. They aren’t limited to the workspace either. Walking across an icy parking lot on your way into work is an opportunity to slip and fall. Be sure of your footing, and remove any tripping hazards you see.