If you are an entrepreneur looking to grow your business, the last thing you want on your plate is a workplace accident. These accidents can lead to physical injuries, as well as unnecessary stress for both yourself and your other employees.
When workplace accidents happen, the employee that was hurt may need to take time off from work. This leads to loss of productivity, as the rest of the team has to compensate for the person that is missing. On top of that, such accidents can cause your other employees to feel unsafe at work, leading to a loss of motivation and morale.
Slip and fall accidents most common cause for non-fatal workplace injuries (29% of cases), according to a Health and Safety Executive report. These accidents can have significant legal and financial implications, leading to workers’ compensation claims, as well as litigations. What will follow is a tedious lawsuit that can impact the growth of your business and lead to serious financial losses.
To prevent situations like that from happening, business owners need to raise awareness and create a culture of safety in the workplace. To do so, you need to be aware of the main causes that lead to workplace injuries and create a safety plan that covers all of these potential issues.
Below is a list of the most common causes of workplace accidents and what employers can do to protect the health and wellbeing of their employees.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Despite being the most common reason for non-fatal workplace injuries, slip and fall accidents are the hardest to prevent. They can happen due to a very large number of factors, including wet floors, scattered debris, cords left out around walking surfaces, unstable grounds, or poorly lit areas.
According to how-to-sue.co.uk, a worker is entitled to receive between £7,410 and £11,980 for a moderate shoulder injury caused by a workplace accident. If the worker also decides to ask for compensation for PTSD following the incident, that is another £7,000, the employer will need to take out of the company’s pocket.
To avoid these situations, employers need to train their workers and provide proper equipment to clean up spills or debris and remove hazards that may cause a slip and fall accident. What’s more, facility supervisors should constantly inspect the area and mark potential hazards such as loose cords, uneven flooring, and icy surfaces, so that they can be avoided by any passer-by until they are addressed.
Related: 5 Reasons You Should Apply for a Warehouse Position
Overexertion
Low back pain is the leading cause of disability in the world and is costing employers over 7 billion dollars every year. Most of the time, back pain is work-related, either because of prolonged sitting, lifting heavy objects, standing for multiple hours a day, or driving for long periods.
Overexertion can have long-term effects oven an employee, ultimately leading to them not being able to perform their job and needing medical care for the rest of their lives.
What employers can do to prevent these issues is to become familiar with ergonomics – the science of adjusting the job to the body’s needs. Some examples include allowing frequent breaks for employees that perform repetitive physical tasks, providing proper equipment for lifting, and encouraging employees to manage their health.
Falls from Heights
Falls from a higher level is the leading cause of employee fatalities in the construction industry. There is not one day these workers don’t face the risk of falling from elevated surfaces and severely injuring themselves, if not worse.
The main reason these accidents happen is poorly built structures, followed by a lack of or improper use of safety equipment.
To protect their employees, businesses in the construction industry should provide proper training on how to use the safety equipment for every employee that works on the construction site. At the same time, it is the employer’s duty to ensure fall protection equipment for all workers that operate at certain heights.
Vehicle Accidents
Employees who drive as part of their job are constantly exposed to traffic hazards. This includes negligent drivers, difficult weather, and faulty vehicles, which are all factors that can lead to vehicle accidents.
Car and truck drivers who spend their days on the road are not the only ones exposed to collisions. The same thing applies to workers who move vehicles around inside a facility, such as a forklift and tractor drivers.
To prevent accidents from happening, businesses need to put an emphasis on safe driving policies and train employees on defensive driving. This will ensure drivers are prepared to face the many unpredicted situations that may happen on the road and keep themselves safe.
Electrical Accidents
While it is true that employees working jobs that require operating electrical machinery are more exposed to the risk of getting electrocuted, electrocution-related injuries can happen in any type of facility. The most common reasons are exposed wires and faulty electrical outlets.
It is very important that the electrical system of the building is periodically inspected to ensure there are no potential issues with it. All electrical jobs should be done by qualified personnel, even if it’s something as simple as changing an outlet.
Employees working around power lines and underground cables should receive proper warnings about all potential electrical hazards so that they can avoid accidents and perform their job safely.
Related: How Common Are Workplace Accidents At Startups?
Workplace Violence
Even today, violence in the workplace is still a common happening. It can start from conflicts between co-workers, assaults by customers, behavioural problems, and so on. These issues are more common for employees working with the public, such as in retail or delivery jobs. Dog assaults also fall into this category.
To prevent this from happening, employees exposed to these circumstances should receive violence training and encourage them to report any suspicious activity as soon as possible. Employees should also be advised to always back out from a situation that may put their safety in danger; without fearing that it may affect their employee position.
