04 Sep Common Workplace Injuries

Common Workplace Injuries

Workplace injuries can result in pain, lost work time, reduced productivity, and significant costs for both employees and employers. Many injuries are preventable when workers recognize hazards, follow established procedures, use the proper equipment, and avoid unnecessary risks.

Some of the most common workplace injuries involve overexertion and back injuries, slips and falls, struck-by hazards, and caught-in or caught-between hazards.

Back Injuries and Overexertion

Back injuries and other musculoskeletal injuries can result from heavy lifting, repetitive work, awkward postures, excessive reaching, twisting, or attempting to move loads that are too heavy.

Reduce the risk by following these practices:

• Evaluate the load before lifting or moving it.
• Keep the load close to your body.
• Maintain the natural curve of your back and lift primarily with your legs.
• Avoid twisting while lifting or carrying; turn by moving your feet.
• Use carts, dollies, hoists, lift tables, or other mechanical aids whenever practical.
• Ask for assistance or use a team lift for heavy, bulky, or awkward loads.
• Arrange materials to minimize lifting from floor level or above shoulder height.
• Adjust workstations to reduce bending, reaching, and awkward postures.
• Change positions periodically during repetitive or prolonged work.
• Use appropriate warm-up or stretching practices when provided by the employer.

Never attempt a lift when you are unsure that you can safely control the load.

Slips, Trips, and Falls

Falls can occur on the same level or from an elevated surface. Wet floors, debris, uneven walking surfaces, poor lighting, unprotected edges, and improper ladder use can all contribute to falls.

To prevent them:

• Maintain good housekeeping.
• Clean up spills promptly or barricade the area until the hazard is corrected.
• Keep aisles, stairs, walkways, and work areas clear.
• Secure mats, cords, hoses, and other potential trip hazards.
• Wear footwear appropriate for the work environment.
• Use handrails when traveling on stairs.
• Maintain adequate lighting.
• Do not jump from vehicles, equipment, docks, or elevated surfaces.
• Inspect ladders and scaffolds before use and use them only as intended.
• Use required guardrails, personal fall protection, or other fall-protection systems when exposed to fall hazards.

Stay alert to changing walking and working surfaces throughout the workday.

Struck-By Hazards

Workers may be struck by moving vehicles, equipment, falling materials, swinging loads, flying particles, or improperly secured objects.

Protect yourself and others by:

• Staying clear of moving vehicles and equipment.
• Using designated pedestrian routes whenever provided.
• Making eye contact with equipment operators before approaching their work area.
• Wearing high-visibility clothing when required.
• Stacking and storing materials securely.
• Properly rigging and securing loads before lifting or moving them.
• Never standing or walking beneath suspended loads.
• Securing tools and materials when working overhead.
• Installing toeboards, barricades, or other falling-object protection where required.
• Wearing hard hats and eye or face protection when exposed to falling or flying objects.
• Maintaining adequate lighting and visibility.

Always consider where an object could travel if it falls, rolls, swings, breaks, or is unexpectedly released.

Caught-In and Caught-Between Hazards

Moving machinery, rotating equipment, vehicles, collapsing materials, excavations, and shifting loads can create crushing, pinching, entanglement, and amputation hazards.

To prevent these injuries:

• Keep machine guards, shields, and safety devices in place.
• Never reach into operating machinery.
• Keep hands and other body parts away from pinch points.
• Secure loose clothing and long hair and remove jewelry when working around moving machinery.
• Follow lockout/tagout procedures before servicing, maintaining, adjusting, or clearing jammed equipment when hazardous energy could cause injury.
• Properly block or support equipment before working beneath or between components that could move.
• Stay out of equipment swing radiuses and other designated danger zones.
• Maintain safe clearance between workers, equipment, vehicles, and fixed objects.
• Follow applicable excavation protective-system requirements before entering an excavation.

Never place yourself in a position where unexpected movement could trap or crush you.

Prevent Injuries Before They Happen

Before starting work, consider:

What could cause me to fall, strain myself, be struck, become caught or crushed, or otherwise be injured while performing this task?

Inspect the work area, identify the hazards, and make sure the necessary controls are in place before beginning. If conditions change, reassess the task.

Report unsafe conditions, damaged equipment, incidents, and near misses to your supervisor. Correct hazards when you are trained and authorized to do so.

Remember

Most workplace injuries are not inevitable. Good planning, hazard recognition, proper equipment, effective housekeeping, training, and following safe work procedures can significantly reduce the risk of injury.

Take the time to identify the hazard before an injury identifies it for you.