Safety is important, whether at home or work. However, safety is especially important at work since it can not only affect the well-being of your employees but also the productivity of your business.
In most cases, you can avoid the most common injuries and accidents by depicting them ahead of time. By knowing what you’re up against, you can take proactive measures to protect yourself and your team against them. Here are some of the most common workplace injuries and how to avoid them.
Slips and Falls
Up at the top are slip-and-fall accidents. From wet floors, to objects blocking pathways, slip and fall injuries are some of the most prevalent. The good news is that these are pretty easy to avoid if you simply take the right precautions.
Keep your work area well-lit so that people can clearly see the walkways, and stay aware of anything someone could catch their foot on. Keep floors dry, and consider adding anti-slip mats if areas are particularly slick. Lastly, encourage your employees to speak up. If they see something that could present itself as a potential hazard, then by all means, encourage them to say something to management.
Muscle Injuries
Muscle injuries don’t happen only in environments where people are doing heavy lifting. Even sedentary jobs like working at a desk can be hard on your back, and your wrists. It’s important that your employees know the proper posture techniques and above all that they take breaks regularly.
Continued strain on the same muscle repetitively will often lead to injury. So encourage your employees to follow the right techniques whether they’re lifting heavy objects or operating certain equipment.
Falls
Sadly, falls are incredibly dangerous and happen more often than you’d like to think. Usually, industries like manufacturing and construction are where these injuries happen the most, and in many cases, they can be deadly. When falling from a high surface, there is a significant risk of severe injury, if not death. This is why you should always ensure that elevated work areas are inspected regularly and employees are well-trained on how to navigate them. Strict adherence to all safety regulations is the best way to protect against injury when your employees are working in high spaces
Cuts and Lacerations
Cuts and lacerations are up there as one of the top causes of injury, usually due to machinery or sharp tools. Unfortunately, these can be incredibly serious, as a significant amount of blood loss could be deadly. It’s important that your employees only work with dangerous materials or machinery that they are properly trained on. Protective equipment like gloves and also steel-toed shoes can significantly reduce the possibility of cuts and lacerations when combined with proper training.
Fire Risks
In work environments where fire hazards are a concern, the importance of wearing fire-resistant (FR) clothing cannot be overstated. FR Outerwear is designed to protect the wearer from sudden flame exposure, thermal exposure, and arc flash incidents. Ensuring that your employees are equipped with FR Outerwear in such conditions not only complies with safety standards but also significantly reduces the risk of burn injuries. It is a critical component of a comprehensive safety strategy in industries prone to fire hazards.