Workplace injury—something that not many of us talk about. What’s the biggest cause of these injuries? And how do we prevent them? Most of us would probably think that work injuries only happen in jobs that involve physical and manual labor such as lifting heavy boxes. That is one aspect of it, but there’s so much more to this.

In this post, we’ll share some of the most common causes of injuries in offices today and explain some effective ways to help prevent them.

Most Common Injuries that Happen in the Workplace

Overexertion Injuries

These are common injuries that happen in workplaces where people do a lot of regular physical labor. As the name implies, these injuries are brought by performing tasks that are way beyond the body’s capability to handle.

According to studies, these are the #1 injuries that happen in the workplace. They can be triggered by activities such as lifting or carrying heavy objects such as huge boxes, or pulling/pushing large crates. Staying in an improper position for an extended period of time or doing continuous work without a break can also cause these in the long run.

Apart from these, there are also certain conditions that can bring about overexertion injuries. When you work in bad weather or in areas that are not well lit, for instance, injuries can take place.

Some of the common effects of these injuries are the following:

• Soft-tissue damage
• Back problems
• Heat stroke/dehydration

If your body doesn’t feel right when doing certain physical movements or specific manual labor, make sure to schedule a doctor’s visit.

Injuries Caused by Repetitive Motion

Typing on a keyboard, clicking on a mouse, and looking at a computer monitor—all harmless activities, right? Well, it turns out that the repetitive motions required by these activities can cause stress and strain on certain body parts. Over time, you might experience conditions like tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

What’s the solution? Well, desktops, laptops, and tablets are common work tools in most offices today. The key is to make them as ergonomic as possible by pairing them with the right furniture and accessories.

Start creating an ergonomic office with the addition of an ergonomic desk and chair. Then, you can start adding ergonomic PC accessories, such as the following: 

Monitor arms

These computer add-ons allow you to tweak the display’s height, distance, and angle. They put the monitor in a position that prevents users from looking upwards or downwards while doing computer work to reduce the risk of neck, back, and eye strain. 

Ergonomic keyboard/mouse

These PC accessories include advanced features designed to take care of your hands and wrists. Raised keyboard and handshake mouse put the hands and wrists in a more natural position than traditional input devices do so that they are more relaxed as you work.

Foot rest

An ergonomic foot pad can help support your feet. It helps promote “active sitting” to prevent repetitive injuries. The main principle behind foot rests is to provide additional space to put your feet on so that you are more likely to move your legs more and keep a healthy blood flow.

Slips, Trips, and Falls

These are another major cause of office injuries that you’ll definitely want to avoid. Several factors can cause people to slip or fall down, including the following:

• Wet floors
• Floor obstacles
• Foot/Leg conditions

Did you know that falls make up over one-fifth of all US emergency room visits? Slips and falls are also the top cause of missed workdays due to occupational injuries. 

Statistics show that the rates of falls are significantly higher for seniors over 65 years old. However, people of all ages can fall. Employees sliding on slick floors make up the vast majority (85%) of all workers’ compensation claims.

So here’s the good news: Owners of commercial and home-based offices can take steps to minimize the risk of slips and slides resulting in falls. Here are some of the most effective ways to prevent these injuries:

Good housekeeping

This includes options like sweeping debris, mopping up spills, and removing obstacles. It’s critical to dry wet floors as quickly as possible.

Flooring

Change/modify walking surfaces. Some helpful tips & tricks include recoating or replacing floors, installing mats, and adding abrasive strips.

Footwear

Employees need to wear appropriate footwear in terms of fit and tread. This can help prevent fatigue and boost employee safety.

Accidents happen everywhere, and office injuries are common. But, you can take preventive measures to reduce the risk of injuries from repetitive motion, slips and fall, or overexertion. In an office setting, this can be as simple as supplying workers with ergonomic furniture like standing desks and adjustable chairs or keeping the working environment safe and worker friendly. Remember: safe workers are happy workers.