In the years 2019-2020, 38.8 million working days were lost due to work-related illness or injury. While these mishaps may have been unfortunate, many of them could have been easily prevented by correctly understanding the risks that are posed in the workplace and taking action to minimise those risks.
The most common causes of workplace injury may surprise you. Most injured workers will obtain their injuries from everyday objects or tasks that don’t seem threatening at all! To help build awareness of the risks that you may face at work, this article will highlight the top 5 most common accidents in the workplace.
1) Falls
Whether your job involves climbing ladders or sitting at a desk, falls are one of the most common causes of workplace injury here in the UK. 37% of workplace injuries in the UK are the result of a slip, trip or fall.
Falling from height could result in anything from a few bruises to death, and should be considered a major risk in all workplaces. The best way to minimise the risk of falling from height is to invest in specialised work at height solutions. Solutions can include anything from scaffolding to light weight scaffold towers, CHAMPs (Cantilevered Height Adjustable Mobile Platforms) Desksurfers, ladders and stepladders.
2) Muscle Strains
It is no secret that bad posture is very common in almost every workplace and muscle strains could affect almost every worker. While many people may relate this type of injury to more manual job roles, even desk workers can wind up with sore muscles after a long day at work. To ease pain in your muscles, you should try to maintain correct posture, stretch regularly and see a physiotherapist if your muscle strains get worse.
3) Cuts
Whether it’s a tiny papercut or a serious knife injury, cuts and lacerations are another common cause of workplace accidents here in the UK. Serious cuts can be incredibly painful and should be tended to straight away to prevent blood loss. Smaller cuts may seem harmless, however, if they are left uncovered, they could easily become infected, which could cause serious medical issues further down the line. To be on the safe side, all cuts should be given attention as soon as they appear and should not be left exposed.
4) Getting Hit By Falling Objects
It seems that heights play a huge role in workplace accidents. Not only do workers risk falling from them but objects can just as easily fall victim to gravity and fall to the ground below. If someone happens to be walking directly under the path of the falling object, this could end in serious injury and could even be fatal! If you are working in a workplace that stores objects at a height, wear a safety hat and make sure that all objects are secured tightly.
5) Crashes And Collisions
Workplace crashes don’t just involve forklift trucks or lorries. Many employees will experience a crash within the workplace, whether that be between two people walking at a fast pace or between a moving chair and another member of staff. Crashing could lead to bruises, concussions and sometimes more serious injuries.
To practice safe working habits and avoid workplace crashes, ensure that staff are properly trained and aware of moving people or objects that are around them.
Contact Ability International today to learn more about how we can help you prevent accidents in the workplace.
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