The Most Common Work-Related Injuries

No one expects to experience an accident at work, but they do happen. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, private industry employers reported approximately 2.1 million non-fatal injuries in 2020 alone.

Also, specific occupations will increase a person’s risk of an injury at work. For example, registered nurses, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, and laborers are more likely to experience a painful injury at work. Find out about the most common work-related injuries.

Slip, Trip, and Fall Injuries

Most employees are at risk of sustaining a slip, trip or fall at work, as slippery surfaces can be found in every workplace. For example, a retail worker could slip on a wet surface in a store, an office worker may trip over a loose electrical cord, or a warehouse operative could fall from a height.

It is an employer’s responsibility to protect their staff from slip, trip, and fall incidents. For example, they must provide appropriate training to prevent onsite accidents, improve lighting to increase visibility, and remove obstacles or hazards to avoid injuries.

Muscle Strains

Muscle strains are a common problem in various industries, especially in manufacturing, construction, retail trade, and warehousing. People who are required to lift heavy items during the working day are at risk of a painful sprain or strain, especially in the neck or back. For this reason, it is imperative employees receive basic training on effective lifting techniques to avoid muscle strain.

Repetitive Strain Injuries

Repetitive strain injuries are becoming a common problem in the workplace. It can not only affect people who regularly use a keyboard at work, but it can happen to anyone who repetitively uses their joints, such as:

• Assembly line workers
• Surgeons
• Dentists
• Clerks
• Construction workers who use power tools

Employers can prevent repetitive strain injuries in the workplace by encouraging staff to take regular breaks and by providing ergonomic equipment. Also, employees can recover from a repetitive strain injury by reading tips on the health issue from the experts, for example ATL Physio provides qualified healthcare advice to help people overcome a painful injury.

Struck-By Injuries

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, contact with equipment and objects accounts for 25.8% of all workplace incidents in the United States. Different injuries are often sustained in the accident, which might be due to objects falling from a height in a warehouse causing a head injury or a nurse being struck with a needle. However, OSHA stated that 75% of struck-by incidents involve heavy equipment, a common risk in manufacturing, construction, and agriculture. Employers can avoid struck-by injuries at work by providing regular workplace safety training, testing heavy machinery each day, and disciplining staff members that misuse equipment, vehicles, or machines.

Crashes and Collisions

Crashes and collisions are common across various industries and cause victims to sustain different injuries, such as:

• Whiplash
• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Lacerations
• Abrasions
• Sprains and strains

Impact injuries can happen on the road or at work, as cars and lorries may collide with other vehicles or forklifts might crash. For this reason, employees must obtain the appropriate licenses for a vehicle, wear seatbelts, and follow various safety precautions.