When you arrive at work every morning, you are probably most concerned with doing a good job, getting a paycheck, and staying out of trouble. However, you should know that injuries at work happen every day. Although there are plenty of ways to hurt yourself at work, according to the National Safety Council there are three major causes of workplace injuries of which you should be aware.
Overexertion
People are probably aware of the fact that if a person who does physical labor does it for too long or attempts to lift too much weight, they will overexert themselves and they may become injured. However, there are some cases in which a person may overexert themselves if they work at a desk job. They may work very long hours and repeat motions over and over again.
If you have a job where you stand up a lot and you feel that you might collapse at some point you are probably suffering from overexertion. You may acquire sprains or torn muscles as a result of these injuries.
Overexertion can result in carpal tunnel syndrome if you are simply performing tasks over and over again.
Your knees are especially susceptible to repeated bending and your wrists can easily be injured if your hands are in an unnatural position for a long time.
Slip and Fall
According to the website Personalinjurylawyersbronx.com, it is very important to have a clean and safe work environment. If the janitorial service in your office building mops the floor and then fails to put up of wet floor sign, or if their equipment is strewn haphazardly about, someone may easily slip and fall.
One of the most common slip and fall injuries a person can have is a fractured wrist, as throwing your hands out when you fall is a natural reaction. Concussions and brain damage are also very common.
Learning How to Fall
If you feel yourself falling, there are some things that you can do to make the blow less harsh. If you are falling forward and you think you're going to hit your face turn your head and land on the side of your face. if you are falling backward, tuck your chin down to protect your head and stick your behind out rather than throwing your arms in back of you. Your posterior is the cushiest part of your body no matter who you are.
Contact With Objects
In some cases, a moving object at work such as a truck, falling garage door, or pulley may injure a person. In other cases, a person might walk into a table or cabinet.
There are situations in assembly line work where a person doing physical labor might make contact with an object repeatedly while they are turning, bending, or reaching over the course of their shift.
What to do if You are Injured
If you are injured at work, you should tell your supervisor immediately and go to the doctor right away even if you feel fine. Worker's Compensation should pay for medical bills. If you have trouble getting an insurance company to pay your bills, it is always a good idea to contact a personal injury attorney to help you get your due.
America is a country that is known for its work ethic and you should feel proud of being able to work hard and take care of yourself. Unfortunately, if your work environment is not ergonomic and safe, your job may do you more harm than good.
