5 Causes of Work-Related Injuries

Work-related injuries can be devastating and might even lead to long-term physical and psychological harm. As an employee, you must understand what work incidents can lead to injuries to understand what legal actions you can take against your employer if they do not provide sufficient protection and care. Here are five causes of work-related injuries that you should be aware of.



1. Slips, Trips, and Falls

Slip, trip, and fall injuries occur when someone slides due to an icy, slick, or wet floor; stumbles because of unprotected sides or holes, insufficient illumination, or debris; or drops from ladders, roofs, or scaffolding. They can also happen if a worker leaps to a lower level or drops to a lower level due to a collapsing structure.

Safety standards, such as those issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), can help prevent these types of injuries. However, workers must also be aware of their surroundings and take appropriate actions to avoid danger.

2. Exposure to Harmful Environments

Uninsulated electricity, radiation, temperature extremes, and extreme variations in air and water pressure are some examples of dangerous chemicals or conditions.

Toxic fume inhalation is also a substantial risk, particularly for people that work in industries that use hazardous chemicals, such as manufacturing. Furthermore, exposure to loud noises can result in occupational deafness, which can result in extensive health problems and expensive compensation settlements.

Employers must offer proper safety equipment to their employees, such as safety eyewear and ear protection, to safeguard them from potential danger and prevent injuries. Employers must also educate staff with chemical management data sheets and teach them to detect the symptoms and warning signs of chemical exposure.

3. Overexertion and Muscle Strain

Muscular strains happen when the body stretches muscles above their limitations, which causes rips or injury to the muscle tissue. Excessive physical effort and repetitive motions can result in overexertion injuries. Both sorts of injuries can be unpleasant and debilitating and also result in a loss of productivity overall.

Repetitive strain injuries (RSI) happen when an individual repeatedly executes the same activity, which creates tension or strain on some area of the body. These injuries can occur when an employee performs repetitive activities such as typing or using a mouse without proper ergonomics, or when they carry out repetitive microtasks on a production line.

Employers can help prevent these injuries if they train employees on proper lifting, provide ergonomic devices, and encourage workers to take breaks.

4. Crashes and Collisions

Crash and collisions can happen in any workplace, particularly those that deal with vehicles. Workers, equipment, or things that fall from great heights can all be victims of crashes. Collisions can also result from workers that impact improperly secured objects or machinery.

Employers can take precautions to prevent these types of incidents, such as caution personnel to be aware of their surroundings, implement operational policies and procedures, provide appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE), caution on loose clothing, and store away unnecessary dangers.

5. Fires and Explosions

In the event of an explosion, the pressure wave that results in direct tissue damage to the body as well as potential hearing or lung loss can cause primary blast injuries. Secondary blast injuries happen when debris gets thrown away from the explosion's source and strike surrounding personnel.

Tertiary blast injuries happen when the pressure from the explosion throws the victim away from the origin of the detonation, and quaternary blast injuries happen when the victim gets crushed or exposed to poisonous substances.

Contact us at Frank Penney Injury Lawyers if you require legal assistance with claims or lawsuits that pertain to work-related injuries. We have offices located in Sacramento, Roseville, Bay Area, Chico, Stockton, Modesto, Fairfield, and Redding, CA.