The Most Common Work Injuries: Are You at Risk?
Did you know that overexertion is the leading cause of work injuries in the United States today, according to the National Safety Council (NSC)? As many as 27 out of every 10,000 employees are affected.
In the job, safety is a critical consideration. Cooperation between employees and employers may substantially improve the chances of achieving and maintaining it. Even with the strongest safety measures and workplace culture in place, sickness and work injuries may still occur.
Safety in the workplace has always relied heavily on workers’ compensation. For the most part, workers’ compensation will pay for inadvertent or thoughtless harm to an employee’s health, as long as there is no drug misuse or intentional intent. As a benefit to the wounded employee and the business, workers’ compensation insurance is available.
Keep on reading for the full breakdown of the most common work-based injuries in the U.S.
The Most Common of Work Injuries: Overexertion
There are consequences of physically demanding tasks. Ones that require you to lift or hurl large things. Or even turn swiftly or repetitively for extended periods of time, workers report sprains and strains ranging from mild to severe.
Working in the transportation and warehousing industries increases your risk of overworking your body.
Slips, Tumbles, and Falls
Slips, stumbles, and falls are the second most common cause of sickness and injury at work. Falling from a high place may injure people, such as construction workers or window cleaners, who have to climb heights in their jobs.
Merchandise displays and haphazard stock delivery often cause retail employees to slip and fall. You might damage yourself or an employee by grabbing onto a sharp ledge as they fall on a damp floor.
Anything from a slight scrape to an even more serious skull fracture might arise from a simple accident.
Mechanical or Equipment-Involved Mishaps
Another frighteningly prevalent sort of injury is a consequence of getting trapped in machinery. Or having malfunctioning equipment hit you on accident.
Take every injury carefully, no matter how minor or severe it may seem at the time. There are 8.5 out of 10,000 occupational injuries resulting in over a month of absences due to a minor hairline fracture, for example. More than two-thirds of the personnel engaged in this sort of occurrence were dealing with heavy machinery.
In light of these statistics, industrial, construction, and agricultural workers are most in danger of getting hit by an object.
Accidents Involving Automobiles and Trucks
Truck drivers and first responders to workers in the oil, gas, and mining sectors are just some of the millions of people who need to go behind the wheel for their jobs. A work-related motor vehicle collision claimed the lives of more than 1,200 American employees in 2018.
Tanker, semi, and tractor-trailer truck drivers are the most vulnerable. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, automobile accidents are the primary cause of worker death or injury.
At the time of the accident, the employee must have been driving the car for work-related activities. For example, if you were injured while traveling to or from work, you can’t usually file a claim.
On-The-Job Assaults
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), attacks on employees resulted in over 20,000 injuries and 400 deaths in 2018. Police and correctional officers; taxi drivers; health care; and education personnel are all in danger.
On-the-job injuries from even a small attack may have a long-term impact on your earning potential. Emergency training and support mechanisms should be provided to personnel in high-risk occupations. Assault in the workplace might lead to compensation claims if you didn’t feel adequately equipped to handle it.
Pain and Soreness
Workers recover from a musculoskeletal injury or discomfort for an average of 17 days. As a casual or contract employee, you may not be compensated for this time off, which is a lot of time away from the office.
Workers in the transportation and warehousing industries, as well as nurses, attendants, and orderlies, are especially at risk for this sort of injury.
Anyone who works in a profession that demands repetitive motion or strain might be affected by this condition. Most workers report back pain, followed by carpal tunnel syndrome and rotator cuff ailments.
Exposure to Toxins
Everyone, from janitors to factory workers to researchers, is at risk of chemical-related injuries at work. There are a number of common poisons that American employees may be exposed to, such as arsenic, hydrogen peroxide, and uranium.
The majority of states in the United States will look into your workers’ compensation claim. Especially, if you were exposed to hazardous substances at work. Visit a doctor as soon as possible if you have chemical burns or other symptoms. If the chemical in issue was responsible for the harm, you’ll have a record of that fact.
You might also avail yourself of legal services if the whole process is making you feel anxious, or you feel like your case is complex in nature.
Hearing Loss
Workers in the carpentry, mining, agricultural, construction, oil and gas, and manufacturing sectors suffer from hearing loss as a result of their jobs. Wherever heavy machinery is included in the work description.
The onset of hearing loss might be gradual. It might be years before you begin to notice changes in your hearing after working in a noisy environment.
If you work in any of these fields, you must get tested at least once a year. In the early stages, you’ll be able to notice any changes.
Employee Injuries: Explained
Whether you’ve already been injured on the job, or this is a concern in your work environment, it’s always a good idea to have a solid grasp on the kinds of injuries you’ll need to look out for.
Hopefully, our guide has shed some light on the different kinds of work injuries you might run into. And, if you’re hungry for more information, you’ll want to check out our legal section for additional explainers and guides on the topic.
