You may wonder why injuries are so common in the office. There is certainly a lot that contributes to workplace hazards, but a major factor is the amount of time we spend working. We live in an age where most people have to work 40 hours a week to make ends meet financially. As much as it may seem that society has changed and become more productive, this is not actually true. Injuries in the office are very common and have a very negative effect on employers.
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Repetitive Injury:
Office injuries are so common because many people work in a typical office environment and do so for extremely long periods of time. People often spend more time at work than they do at home. The problem with this is that many of the tools used are not ergonomic. Keyboard and mouse use can also lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and other repetitive strain injuries to the wrists, back, neck, shoulders or fingers. These can be prevented both with ergonomic chairs and office equipment, as well as the use of workplace injury prevention services. Companies that provide these typically help set up a warm-up program that provide gentle exercise and stretching to employees to prevent these repetitive motion injuries.
Minor Injury vs Major Injury:
While office equipment isn’t necessarily as dangerous as equipment in other industries, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful. Papercuts, scissor mishaps, carrying heavy boxes, coffee burns, hard table corners, and others can cause small injuries daily that are generally expected in an office environment. There is little that employers can do about these beyond providing basic first aid materials such as band-aids and ice packs. However, more serious injury can occur from a poor maintained environment such as icy walkways outside the office, outdated electrical systems with overloaded outlets, mold growth from water damage, and so on. These are the hazards that employers are held liable for and can have a serious impact on the health and safety of employees if not properly dealt with.
Effects On Employers:
Injuries in the office are the most common reason why employers get sued. This is because these types of accidents are very serious and can lead to lasting effects. For example, if an employee suffers a back injury, they may become permanently disabled or unable to work. Even smaller injuries put companies on the line for worker’s compensation, which in today’s medical market, can become costly. Employers are often sued for not taking enough precautions to protect their workers by providing them with the proper equipment, allowing them time for rest and recovery, or properly training them for the job.
Office accidents are very common and have a very negative effect on employers. These accidents occur in the traditional office environment (with all its hazards) and many employees work long hours. These are just some of the reasons why office injuries is so common and why employers get sued. For this reason, it is imperative for employers to consult onsite injury prevention services to ensure that their office environments are safe and that employees are following all protective guidelines.
About the Author:Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure. She highly recommends utilizing onsite injury prevention services to ensure the health and safety of your employees.
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