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Restoring Dignity & Control After An Injury 

Workplace Injuries and How to Avoid Them

On Behalf of | Jul 19, 2010 | Uncategorized |

Injuries that occur at work or that are work related are common in the workplace. Some professions such as construction, factories, or sports for example are more susceptible to staff members incurring an injury. Some injuries can also occur outside of the workplace but are still work related injuries. There are some injuries that occur more often than others. It is important to create a safe working environment to avoid serious injury or even death. Here are some common workplace injuries and how you can avoid them.

One of the most common injuries that happen at work are falls. Falls can occur on same level surfaces or falling to a lower level of the workplace. People can fall because they slip or trip as well. A lot of construction site injuries occur because a roofer may fall or someone can fall off a ladder. Other examples of falls are people slipping on pavements, falling down stairs, or slipping on a wet bathroom or kitchen floor. If an area is wet or slippery there should be signs to point out hazardous areas. Construction sites can prevent falls by using safety measures such as having a roofer secured by ropes and harnesses.

Another common injury that is similar to a fall is how your body reacts to slipping or tripping without falling. The reaction to preventing the fall can be just as harmful as falling sometimes. You can stub your toe, roll your ankle, or hurt your back while preventing a fall. Again, this can be avoided by properly indicating areas that are wet or slippery. Some falls and trips are unavoidable, but there should be first aid available at every workplace.

Another very common injury is overexertion. This is most common for jobs that require heavy lifting, moving, stacking/organizing, throwing, and other types of physical exertion. In 2008 this was reported as the most common type of workplace injury. Proper training for employees whose job requires a lot of activity can help to avoid overexertion. You can also avoid straining your back by wearing back support if you are doing some sort of heavy lifting.

A more serious injury that is common on constructions sites is being hit by a falling object or incurring an injury against an object. For example, tools or materials can fall from roofs or high levels on a building site. People can be struck by the falling objects and serious injuries can occur. Running into a door, wall, or another object can also cause injuries. Injuries that happen against an object can happen at any workplace, not just a construction site. To avoid these injuries, one should pay attention to their work space, especially if they work at a warehouse or construction site.

If you are injured from a work related duty, you may be eligible for worker’s compensation. Some injuries may require time off of work or going to a hospital or doctor which can become expensive. If you think you are eligible for a worker’s compensation claim, you can hire an attorney specialized in these type of cases to help you file your claim. Remember to be safe while at work and report all injuries.

About the Author: Brooke Haley marketing associate at Millon & Peskin, Chicago workers compensation lawyer that practice in the areas of Civil Litigation, Workers’ Compensation, and Personal Injury. Millon & Peskin is a General Civil Litigation Practice with the goal of representing the interests of injured workers, throughout all applicable Courts within the State of Illinois. For more information, please visit http://www.millonpeskin.com.

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