As a business owner, there are so many things you have to think about. One of those we often tend to neglect is what happens if one of the employees is hurt while on the job. This is why we all have to be aware of the common on-work business injuries highlighted below.
Preventing them is much easier than you might think and some due diligence will always help out. With this in mind, Dothan injury lawyers highlight the following as on-work injuries you absolutely need to think about.
Slips, Falls, And Trips
These types of injuries make up most worker’s compensation claims. Such injuries include the workers who, as examples:
- Slips on wet, oily, or icy floors.
- Trip due to holes, clutter, poor lighting, or unprotected sides.
- Falling off skyscrapers, roofs, and ladders.
You can avoid these injuries by following official OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Association) requirements. Whenever working in environments where it is possible to see falls, training employees also does wonders and needs to be enforced.
Muscle Strains And Overexertion
RSI (repetitive strain injuries) and muscle strains will often cause debilitating pain for the long term and can lead to serious productivity losses. Such occupational injuries are often caused by:
- Lifting heavy objects with an inappropriate technique.
- Repetitive work and not enough breaks.
- Manual lifting.
- Throwing, carrying, or pushing.
- Performing microtasks while on the factory line.
The employer needs to offer and enforce the required training to teach people how to perform a physical task with proper technique. When the employer does not do this, it is liable for the injuries that might appear.
Being Struck By Objects, Equipment, Or Workers
Such accidents can be very serious when looking at the high-risk injuries. They can include severed body parts, severe injuries, bone breaks, stress fractures, blindness, traumatic head injuries, and much more.
In most cases, such workplace injuries appear due to causes like:
- Improper machinery guarding
- Dropped loads
- Being caught in gears or wires
- Falling objects
- Excess vibrations
- Heavy equipment tipping over
- Walking into machinery
The good news is that most of these accidents are fully preventable. Workers have to be aware of their surroundings. Also, it is very important to use the correct PPE (personal protective equipment), remove hazards as they are discovered, and following safety procedures or policies.
Collisions Or Crashes
There is a risk of being hurt in collisions or crashes when driving motor vehicles and when working around such vehicles. As an example, let’s say your work is on the ground. You are inside a warehouse and you have the risk of being hit by a rogue forklift. In such cases, it’s worth asking: Who is responsible if a forklift accident occurs? This is where the experience of a knowledgeable work injury lawyer can really help injured workers.
You might also be faced with such accidents in situations like:
- A large truck driver is drinking and driving
- You are stuck under a vehicle that overturned
- You fall from a work vehicle
- You are struck by falling objects coming from a vehicle
- Tank truck, tractor-trailer, or semi-trailer crashes
Whenever a motorized vehicle is operated, it is mandatory that you wear the seat belt. Also, there are specific safety measures that have to be respected and that are established by the employer.