Common Accidents That Happen in the Workplace

Accidents can happen in the workplace and even a typical office-based role has many hazards that cause injuries each year. Employers need to do all that they can to provide a safe work environment for their team and being aware of what the most common accidents are will help you to identify and reduce hazards in the workplace. So, what are the most common accidents that happen at work?

Slips, Trips & Falls

Slips, trips and falls are the most common workplace accident and can occur in any setting. This can occur for many reasons, including wet floors, uneven surfaces or employees falling from heights (such as construction workers up a ladder). The severity of these accidents can vary greatly and are usually avoidable when employers use signs to warn people. When someone has a slip, trip or fall that was not their fault, they could look to compensation with the help of personal injury lawyers to cover the damages.

Manual Work Accidents

Manual work accidents are injuries that occur from manual work, such as construction and agriculture. Often, these accidents lead to muscle injuries as a result of overuse through lifting, pushing and heavy lifting. Long-term back injuries can be a major problem with manual work accidents, which is why they need to be avoided at all costs. This can be done through proper staff training, regular breaks and making sure that staff do not take on tasks that are too strenuous.

Repetitive Motion Injury

Repetitive motion injury is highly common and an injury that can occur in a typical office setting. When people have to perform the exact same movement continuously, it can lead to strains and injuries. Breaks are important for preventing these injuries as well as adopting a healthy posture and using specialist equipment, such as wrist supports and ergonomics chairs.

Vehicle Collisions

Those that have to drive as part of their role are at greater risk of being in an accident as they will spend more time on the road than the average motorist. There are many reasons why a vehicle collision might happen and an employee could do nothing wrong and still be involved in a serious accident. You can reduce the chance of vehicle collisions by warning employees of the dangers of distracted driving, by making sure that they are taking regular breaks and driver training. You can also provide vehicles that have advanced safety features, which could prevent an accident or reduce the severity.

These are a few of the most common accidents that happen in the workplace. Employers have a legal responsibility to provide a safe work environment for their employees, but even with this accidents can still happen that could be damaging for both the individual and the business. In such instances, the victim should consider hiring an experienced injury lawyer to deal with the challenges involved in the legal process.