Most common workplace accidents
Office accidents are common if no measures are taken. Accidents might occur due to negligence, lack of professional training, or workplace clutter.
As an employer, it is essential for you to make your workplace a safe and secure place for your employees. Consider the five main causes of workplace accidents, so you can take the appropriate measures to avoid them.
Slips and Falls
Slips and falls are one of the most commonly-occurring accidents in the workplace. Depending on the nature of the fall, the injuries resulting from these accidents can be fatal. As a result, most cases of slips and falls lead to accident claims in Scotland, as well as in other areas.
This type of accident can lead to broken bones, sprains, strains, along with the head, back, and neck injuries. The causes behind these accidents include slipping on wet surfaces or out-of-place floor mats. Employees can trip and fall if the workplace is cluttered.
Taking this into account, you can overcome this issue by adding caution signs for wet floors, and ensuring that your flooring and carpeting of the building is up-to-date. You may also hire a professional cleaning service to organize your workplace and keep it free of clutter.
Machinery-Related Accidents
Machinery related accidents especially in factories are extremely common in the workplace. These involve fatal injuries, such as severed fingers, damaged arms, and even blindness. Employees’ lack of training is the main cause of machinery-related accidents. Employers can avoid this by properly training all employees before allowing them near heavy machines. If you are trying to save on costs, you can place a strict policy of hiring workers with professional training certificates.
Fork Lift Accidents
Forklift accidents are vastly popular in the construction industry. To name a few, people have fallen out of cars, or been run over by trucks. This issue can result in horrifying injuries, and can even cause death. Therefore, it is imperative to create an environment that eliminates the possibility of encountering these accidents. You can structure the arrangement to allow for seamless vehicle operation. As an employer, you can also provide safety training to prevent these accidents.
Explosions
Gas leaks or improper storage of combustible and hazardous items can cause workplace explosions. Explosions can place a large number of employees at risk. The injuries can range from hearing damage, physical harm, as well as emotional trauma. Keeping this in mind, you must ensure that your workplace is up-to-date with the safety requirements of the building.
Overexertion Injuries
Many employees struggle with back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders. Overexertion can induce these. For instance, if your workers are sitting at the same spot for nine hours a day, they can suffer from back pain, hormonal problems (due to the lack of physical activity), Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), eyesight problems and other long-term health problems. You can eliminate this problem by encouraging workers to take breaks throughout the day. You may also create training programs, which discuss effective ways of balancing work and physical activity.
Factory Accidents
Factory accidents are common in the workplace. If your machinery is not up to code, and your employees lack training, your workplace could experience a fatal injury. Accidents in factories include vehicle-related accidents, tripping, and falling, explosions and exposure to toxic fumes. Keeping that in mind, you must certify that your workers are provided with proper training to handle the operations of heavy machinery. Additionally, you must also provide your employees with the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to keep them safe along with carrying out an annual electrical check by a qualified electrician.
Asbestos-Related Accidents
Asbestos in the workplace is quite common. As an employer, it is your responsibility to get your building checked on a regular basis. If asbestos is discovered, it must be removed quickly. Asbestos can cause severe health problems, such as Asbestosis, Lung Cancer, and Mesothelioma, which is a chronic lung disease. Hence, it is crucial to get your workplace free from asbestos fibers.
Office Accidents
Injuries can also take place in the office environment. Your employees may slip and fall if your carpet is loose or if your office is untidy. Office accidents are also fueled by the presence of drugs and alcohol in the workplace. If your employees use these intoxicants in the office environment, they are putting everyone at risk with their reckless behavior. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that your office remains a safe place by keeping clean, organized, and professional.
Injuries in the Kitchen
Kitchen-related injuries are common in restaurants and office kitchens. These include encountering explosions, burns, cuts, or slips, in the culinary environment. To overcome this issue, make sure that you have an up-to-date fire extinguisher, placed at an attainable spot. A little fire can be extinguished quickly. Additionally, you can also prepare a first-aid box to deal with minor cuts or burns. You may also provide training that offers comprehensive tips on ways to avoid kitchen-related accidents.
Injuries at work can lead to employee compensation claims. So, make your workplace a safe place to avoid spending time and money to deal with these unfortunate circumstances & if you have suffered any workplace injury & looking for compensation then contact HD Legal to make your claim for compensation.
