Top 10 Accidents at Work

If you employ staff in your business then it is incredibly important that you are up to date with UK and European laws regarding health and safety and that your employees are indeed fully protected.

Every year in Britain thousands of people will suffer an accident whilst at work, some of them being avoidable, others not. If you have an accident at work compensation claim companies such as first4lawyers.com, Harris fowler or underdog.com can help assist you with any advice and help you claim the compensation you may be deserved. Below is a list of the accidents that most often occur in the workplace, not in any particular order of prevalence…

Number one
One of the accidents that occur regularly in the work place is a slip or fall on a wet surface. This is indeed often preventable if floors are cleared of water immediately and any hazards are clearly signed. A slip can occur in various areas within the work area, some of the most common being large food preparation areas, icy side walks and slippery reception rooms and halls.
Number two
The second type of accident on the list is a trip rather than a slip, the culprits here being loose rugs or badly laid tiles or cables. The most normal area for this type of incident to occur is in a reception of an office building, but can also occur in a badly organized warehouse, storage unit or food preparation area. Despite being one of the most common problems, most accidents at work go unreported according to the BBC.
Number three
The third type of accident that is prevalent in the work place is a fall from a height. This may be from a scaffold on a building site, from a ladder that has not being tightly secured, or it may even be down some badly lit or signed stairs. This type of fall is not just common in everyday work, but it often results in very severe injury.
Number four
The fourth type of accident that occurs all too often at work is that of burns. Burns can be caused both by naked flames as well as by unmarked hazardous liquids and equipment. This type of accident is one that can indeed be easily prevented by putting the correct safety measures into place such as chemical-resistant and fire-resistant gloves. Such equipment can be easily sourced from providers similar to Unigloves (unigloves.co.uk). Furthermore, to rid the risk of hazardous substance burns, safety signs and stickers should always be in place as well as correct storage procedures. These, coupled with the wearing of protective gear should alleviate this type of accident.
Number five
One type of injury that is not so obvious yet accounts for many days off work for employees is that of neck and back injuries. This type of injury can occur when staff are not sufficiently trained in the correct lifting procedure for heavy goods and when office staff is not provided with adequate seating. The latter of these can result in a complaint similar to whiplash which can cause ongoing problems for the sufferer.

Number six
The next type of accident in the workplace is that of injuries to the head. These are a result of different types of circumstances such as trips and falls but can also be the result of falling objects. One such injury necessarily demands compensation for the worker because it can affect his entire life, if not treated properly. Those injured should claim their rights, most likely with the help of a lawyer from Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC, or a similar firm. Also, for the firms to ensure that one such situation doesn’t arise, it is important to provide the workers with hard headwear and other safety equipment.
Number seven
The seventh type of injury in the workplace is that of repetitive strain injury. This occurrence is commonly referred to as RSI and happens when employers are forced to carry out the same repetitive action over and over again without being given sufficient breaks. Sitting at a computer and typing without taking rests can cause this injury, the outcome being easily prevented by using such implements as wrist rests.
Number eight
Number eight on the list of accidents at work is that of becoming industrially deaf. This type of deafness is in no way linked to the health of the employer, rather to the fact that he is forced to work around loud machinery without the correct protective headgear. This type of injury can be prevented from occurring in the majority of cases by issuing staff with hard head gear and ear defenders.
Number nine
Ninth on the list of workplace accidents is that of lacerations. These may be both major as well as minor and are easy to prevent. The correct training from employers before use of potentially dangerous equipment can put a stop to many such occurrences.
Number ten
Number ten on the list is driving injuries. Injuries sustained whilst driving at work can occur in the warehouse or any other place where industrial machinery is used. Once again a large proportion of these nasty accidents can be avoided when the correct training is implemented by the employer as well as safety signs being in place.