The Common Hazards Lurking In Most Office Environments

Workplace safety is a vital factor for every employer to prioritize. However, workplace safety risks aren’t only a concern for those working in the construction or industrial sectors. Offices and stores can host just as many risks of injury, which is why it is essential to know when to contact workplace injury lawyers.

If you are injured on the job, you are likely entitled to compensation. That said, the best cure is always prevention. Unfortunately, there are many hazards in and around the office that may present the risk of injury. Today I invite you to join me as we look at the common hazards/dangers lurking in most office environments and how to prevent them.

 

Injury Due To Slipping and falling

Slips and falls are universally the most common workplace hazard. A fact that is all the more unfortunate due to the high rate of serious injury. The NSC reports that most of these incidents are usually avoidable and caused by some degree of negligence. The majority of related workplace injuries that end with a trip to the emergency room include falling when reaching for high objects. People use wheeled office chairs or flimsy cabinets to get such things out of their reach.

The only safe way to reach objects stored on high shelves is by using an appropriate step ladder. After going for things, the subsequent most common falling-related injury is slipping on wet or slippery floors. These injuries are also primarily avoidable. Good signs to indicate wet flooring should be adhered to, and slippery floors and surfaces should be addressed by management.

 

Repetition Injuries

While office workers are often forced to spend hours on end sitting and remaining sedentary, there is a new breed of workplace injuries that stem from this modus operandi. These are repetition injuries.

These common workplace injuries occur over time due to the cumulative strain of performing unnatural physical movements. The most prevalent of these are cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, although several other injuries can result from repetitive motion. The best prevention method for such injuries is utilizing purpose-built, ergonomic equipment and practicing preventative exercises to help counteract their causes.

 

Cuts And Burns

Cuts are a surprisingly common workplace injury amongst office workers. These can stem from sources but are usually attributed to stationary being misused or not for the intended purposes. Think of that time you used a pair of scissors for ripping open an envelope. The risk of burns is usually associated with fires, but counterintuitively, most burns are suffered in the office due to hot water. The primary risk is associated with making coffee. Perhaps exacerbated by time constraints, hot water burns can be far more severe than what one might think.

The second most common source of burns in the office is tied to electric shock. Exposed wire and carelessness lead to thousands of incidences of electric shock in the office every year due to electrical hazards. While electric shock poses its own set of serious risks, it commonly causes moderate to severe electric burns.

You must prioritize medical attention promptly if you have suffered some form of workplace injury. Always remember to report any workplace injury to your employer and seek counsel from professional workplace injury lawyers.