While workplace injuries have greatly dropped over the last few decades, they remain a major issue for both employees and employers. It’s estimated that one worker died every 99 minutes back in 2019. This number should be alarming to anyone. Understanding what the most common accidents are is essential for employers who want to create a safer environment for their employees and employees who want to find ways to mitigate risk for themselves. Let’s look at some of these accidents and ways to avoid them.
Slip and Fall Accidents
It’s estimated that about 30% of all workplace incidents involve a slip, trip, or fall. They’re also the number reason for worker’s compensation claims in this country. The injuries can include everything from back and neck injuries, to cuts, bruises, pulled muscles, and sprains among others.
If you believe you’ve suffered an injury after slipping and falling and your employer is trying to make things hard for you, we strongly suggest you speak with a lawyer who’s familiar with these types of cases, such as Horst Shewmaker. They will be able to look at the facts of the case and make it as compelling as possible. They will also be able to make sure that all the evidence needed is preserved and will be ready to fight for you in court if needed.
Machinery and Vehicle Collisions
Another very common type of accidents on shop floors everywhere are collisions with machinery and vehicles. This could be a forklift hitting another vehicle or person and causing an injury. It could be a piece of machinery someone is using, or that someone else is using in their vicinity. These types of accidents also happen on farms very often. Accidents that involve farm machinery are frequent and often fatal.
In those cases, you need to create clear traffic lanes on the factory floors. Also, make sure that you have sufficient signalization in place and strict protocols to follow for movements. Protective guards will also help reduce the number of injuries by reducing the chances of objects flying from machines, which happens more often than many imagine.
Fire and Explosions
These accidents may be less common than slip and falls and collisions, but they can have disastrous consequences. While these account for around 3% of all workplace accidents, they have the highest fatality rate. These are often caused by improperly stored hazardous material, faulty gas lines, or exposed fire. Injuries caused by fires and explosions include disfigurement, respiratory issues, and various degrees of burns.
If you want to reduce the chances of these accidents occurring, we suggest you follow OSHA’s hazard communication standards. You should also make sure that data sheets on chemicals are kept on hand and that employees are equipped with the right protective gear at all times.
These are a few examples of common workplace accidents that happen every year in the country. Make sure that you stay aware of them and protect yourself and your employees from hazards.
