Workplace injury is a severe impediment to a productive, prosperous work life. If you injure yourself, then you’ll suffer directly, and your quality of life will deteriorate. But you’ll also suffer indirectly, as you may find yourself unable to earn a living the way you did before.
According to the Health and Safety Executive, there were around 441,000 people who sustained an injury at work in the year 2020/21. This figure is taken from the Labour Force Survey, and so it’s likely to be an underestimate. After all, not all injuries are reported to survey takers.
Common Workplace Hazards and How to Avoid Them
So, exactly what are the most common injuries, and how do we avoid them? In most cases, it will depend on your working environment.
In a workshop or a construction site, the danger posed by slips, trips and falls can be considerable. Trailing cables might cause you to lose your footing, which can be especially dangerous if the ground is uncertain, and there are sharp objects nearby.
Machinery also poses a danger. If you’re caught in a mechanism, then you might suffer crushed or severed limbs, blindness or death. The best way to deal with this is consciousness and vigilance, and the investment in proper safety equipment.
In sedentary office jobs, the hazards are less acute, but they’re still worth considering. You might find that you develop postural problems and muscular deficiencies as a result of hunching over a keyboard for hours on end. Dealing with these problems might require that you proactively exercise to keep your body in good condition, or that you change the ergonomic setup of your desk.
Why Health and Safety is Important
By following a few simple health and safety procedures, we can reduce the likelihood of a workplace accident. Since accidents are damaging and expensive, it’s important that employers put in place practices and procedures which reduce the likelihood.
In most cases, this starts with a risk assessment. Work out what the likeliest causes of an accident are in your workplace, and take steps to reduce the risk over time. This will reduce absenteeism, boost productivity, keep your workers happy, and keep you on the right side of the law.
What to do if you are Injured at Work
If you’ve been injured at work, then it might be that you can claim a legal remedy in the form of compensation. Get in touch with a reputable personal injury lawyer and explain your circumstances. In many cases, the lawyer will elect to pursue your case on a no-win, no-fee arrangement. This means that if you aren’t successful, you won’t have to pay anything.