Whenever someone thinks of an “accident,” the most common images which materialize in their minds are these: a car crash, a plane crash, etc. Most people think that an accident only involves a vehicle and a badly maimed person—and it’s hardly ever at work.
Contrary to popular opinion, however, the workplace isn’t exactly a safe place either. You can die at work just as you can die caught between crossfire in a highly unstable part of town. In fact, 5% of all the world’s deaths are work-related.
Shocking? Perhaps. Once you’re done with this blog, though, you’ll be well versed with the commonest workplace accidents that happen around the world.
Slipping, Tripping, and Falling
A majority of workplace accidents are due to slipping, tripping, and/or falling. And at first glance, it’s not that surprising. People slip, trip, and fall all the time—gravity, right? Well, in the event that the fall is really bad and not duly taken care of, “death by gravity” becomes a much more fitting phrase. The many repercussions include, but aren’t limited, to broken bones, spinal injuries, head injuries, sprains and muscle complications, tears and cuts, etc.
The commonest causes for people falling at work include:
- Surfaces that are oily or wet
- Bad weather
- Loose flooring
- Blocked view
- Bad lighting
- Clutter and mess
- Bad carpeting
- Wires in way
- Unclosed drawers
- Raggedy surfaces
The Fast and the Furious
As you might have guessed from the heading, the second most common workplace accidents are caused by vehicles. From bicycles to large trucks and trolleys, anything on wheels is capable of injuring you.
Moving vehicles are likelier to cause these mishaps: at times, people even get crushed by a falling object or are stuck under a vehicle that has overturned. Most vehicle-related injuries and deaths occur in agricultural and industrial setups. There’s a higher chance of injury if your workplace is a road: for instance if you’re a traffic policeman, or head the construction equipment on streets.
Overexertion
These injuries might not elicit the reaction that the last two items on the list do, but they’re just as dangerous. Since overexertion usually results in complications of the musculoskeletal systems, they are a great setback to productivity.
Not only is work affected drastically, but annual health costs are hefty. Additionally, these injuries, if not prevented or checked in time, can result in long-term complications for workers.
They can occur from lifting, carrying, pulling, etc. and can impair locomotion while also causing chronic pain. Improper handling of equipment, irresponsible keying and speeding, the manual lifting of objects too heavy for such, are among the commonest causes. Repetitive work without breaks also contributes to pulled muscles and other similar issues.
The Big Bangs
In industrial avenues, explosions in the workplace are more common than you think. Gas lines bursting, bad pipe fitting, hazardous combustible material stored inappropriately, etc. can all contribute to raucous explosions.
Fires are also common at workplaces and can occur due to various reasons. Often, it’s not a fire per se but burns and scalds which can cause serious injuries, ranging from primary to tertiary and quaternary.
Make Sure Your Workers are Prepared for the Rainy Day
Metro Safety has been training workers in courses related to workplace safety and first aid since 2008. Boasting a decade in the field and having trained countless teams for many clients, we strive to impart professional technical knowledge and skills to help workers with all necessary and relevant first aid skills. Our work crosses all industries. Give us a call at 604-521-4227 or get in touch to give your workers the workplace safety courses Vancouver they deserve. We offer courses across Burnaby, Vancouver, Coquitlam, Richmond, and Surrey.
