The Most Common Workplace Injuries
Top Injury Lawyers
The workplace’s safety conditions have come a long way in the past few decades. However, even with better safety standards, injuries in the workplace are all too common. You don’t even necessarily need to be doing heavy construction or manufacturing work to get injured, either. While it would be impossible to cover every possible workplace injury, we’ll look at some of the most common ones.
1. Slips and Falls
Nearly everyone has slipped and fallen in their life. Fortunately, these slips and falls often result in serious injuries. For example, a person can bang their head on a hard surface, resulting in traumatic brain injuries. It’s a workplace’s responsibility to foster a safe environment. A workplace should have wet floor signs and other measures in place.
2. Injuries From Repetitive Motions
Whether you’re clinking keys together or assembling satellite parts for NASA, repetitive motions are often a part of your job. Repetitive motions day in and day out over weeks, months, and years can lead to issues like strains, tears, and sprains. Encouraging employees to maintain their physical health can help prevent these injuries. However, a worker is often entitled to workers’ compensation for these injuries.
3. Cuts
Employees across different fields may use sharp objects. From butchers cutting meat to office workers opening letters to factory workers wielding box cutters. Proper training and having properly maintained tools can go a long way to preventing cuts or minimizing their severity. It’s a workplace’s responsibility to keep tools in good working conditions. However, a workers’ compensation claim can be denied if a worker knew a defective device and didn’t notify anyone.
4. Injuries From Heavy Machinery
Heavy machinery like bailers and compactors can be highly deadly. These machines can crush a worker immediately. As a result, workplaces must have safety measures in place, including for the heavy machinery and guidelines and training for the workers operating them.
5. Falls From High Heights
A fall of any magnitude can be dangerous in the right conditions. However, falls especially become more deadly the higher a person is up. We often contribute falls from elevated heights in the workplace with construction jobs. However, many jobs can require an employee to climb relatively high heights. For example, an employee taking down merchandise using a tall ladder.
6. Crashes and Collisions
Unfortunately, millions of automobile accidents happen every year, and many of these crashes can involve workers. Delivery drivers are a prime example. These drivers often don’t have the luxury of not driving when the weather is particularly nasty. So instead, you’ll see truck drivers and mail carriers out in the middle of winter helping society run. Even if a collision didn’t happen on the “work-site,” if a worker was still on the clock, they’re generally entitled to workers’ compensation. Besides automobiles, collisions with forklifts can also happen.
These are some of the most common injuries that can happen, which may require help from a workers compensation lawyer. Our friends at Hurwitz, Whitcher & Molloy, LLP know the complexities of such cases.