There is a common misconception that workplace injuries occur only in warehouse or factory settings. It’s important to recognize that everyone who is employed is at risk of experiencing a workplace injury at some point throughout their career. Yes, even the keyboard warriors out there.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the most common workplace injuries are sprains, tears, and strains. Although, the cause of each of these varies. Let’s explore the leading causes of workplace injury, as well as how to prevent injuries at work.
Mental Fatigue
Mental fatigue is common and is just as commonly ignored, particularly when multi-tasking or juggling multiple priorities. From taking the kids to school, finishing your credentials for work, and household chores, it can all lead to emotional and physical exhaustion as a result. This becomes a risk factor for workplace injuries.
The severity can vary greatly depending on your work environment. When you are lacking attention, which is common when facing mental fatigue, basic tasks that you may do daily, even ones considered high-risk that you have become desensitized to, become incredibly risky. Preventing workplace injuries can start before you even clock in: proper rest and setting boundaries to allow for de-stressing and decompressing.
Repetitive Stress Syndrome
Regardless of the type of work you do, you are likely using the same muscles and movements daily to complete your job tasks. Whether it is sitting at a desk and manually entering data via keyboard daily, on an assembly line putting your designated part together, or working construction and constantly moving and lifting various items. When working, we tend to repetitively utilize the same muscles, creating the same muscle movements. Unfortunately, this can create an imbalance of sorts which results in one of the leading causes of workplace injury – repetitive stress syndrome.
When particular muscles are contracted regularly, and other muscles are not utilized to balance out the use, muscle fatigue, inflamed tendons, and nerve impingement occur.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Not surprisingly, slips, trips, and falls account for a significant portion of workplace injuries. However, there are options for preventing these workplace injuries. For instance, taking extra precautions when the weather is not ideal can help ensure you do not slip on ice or snow. Wearing the proper footwear will also play an important part in keeping yourself upright. Depending on the work environment, you may need to wear shoes that provide adequate grip. Learning about how to move your body safely in your working environment can also go a long way.
Additionally, always be aware of your surroundings. There will be times when cords are strung out, or rugs may be tufted up. If you fail to notice them, they create tripping hazards. Also, if you notice these things, take the time for due diligence and move items within a walking path, to prevent others from potentially tripping as well.
Poor Ergonomics
Organizations do the best they can to ensure employees are working in an ergonomically positive manner. This means, adjusting computer screens to keep your head in an upright position, providing ergonomically approved seating, and placing equipment in a manner that reduces the frequency of bending the body up and down. By using proper ergonomics, the risk of developing long-term negative impacts, as a result of your job, is significantly decreased.
However, there will be times when recreating a workspace is not financially feasible. It is then that you may see employers bring in medical ergonomics teams. These trained professionals will work with you on how to best work within the environment you are in, in a safe and medically approved fashion, in turn, preventing workplace injuries due to poor ergonomics.
Overexertion
Overexertion occurs when the body is strained beyond its limits. This may be a result of a single incident, for example trying to lift or carry something that is outside of your abilities resulting in a muscle strain. Or, it could be a result of continuously pushing your body’s physical limits. In this case, it could be working far too many hours without the proper amount of rest.
Similarly to mental fatigue, when you are overexerted, your level of awareness is significantly diminished resulting in an increased risk of workplace injuries.
Preventing Workplace Injuries
To prevent workplace injuries, employees must be sure they are getting the proper rest and replenishments not only during the workday but when they return home as well.
Additionally, resetting muscles, participating in pre-shift exercise programs, and encouraging healthy lifestyles can help reduce the risk of repetitive muscle syndrome. It is also important for employees to consider their current working environment and how they are working within this space from an ergonomic perspective. Lastly, be aware of your surroundings to prevent slips, trips, and falls.
For more help on improving your employees’ experience at work and preventing workplace injuries for the long-term, schedule no-cost analysis with our experts at BIOKINETIX.
