Whether you’re an employee or employer, 65 years old or 25, working in your dream job or just for a paycheque, we all share one thing in common – we can all get hurt from accidents in the workplace. No matter what position you hold in a company, an injury can put you out of commission and put a huge risk on your personal or businesses’ (or both) financial security.
In this article, we’ll cover the most common causes of workplace accidents/injuries and some tips to help create a safer workplace – leading to fewer accidents and injuries overall!
When most people think about injuries in the workplace, they imagine a construction site or factory with heavy machinery or chemicals and yes, those are hazardous workplaces where injuries can happen quite easily but it’s important to note that injuries can happen in any workplace. You should always be aware of the health and safety plans and procedures in your workplace to avoid these common injuries:
One of the most significant causes of workplace injuries can be attributed to slips, trips, and falls. These can be caused by anything from cluttered working spaces to snowy/icy conditions where a person loses their balance and injures themselves.
Some of the most frightening examples of workplace injuries occur when machinery is involved. Depending on your workplace (factory, construction, etc.) there can be a huge variety of different machines present with each posing their own unique risk. Examples of machinery related injuries can range from minor cuts, broken bones, to even fatalities.
The most famous example of repetitive stress and overexertion is carpal tunnel syndrome. With the rise in computer related jobs many Canadians have faced this or will face this in their lifetime. However, this isn’t strictly limited to office workers – many of those that work on machinery or factory / assembly lines are susceptible to these injuries as well.
For thousands of years fires have been a never-ending source of injuries and fatalities in both the workplace and home. Although in the present time, the workplace has become much less safe due to flammable or combustible materials, cluttered workspaces, and lack of training.
Since your workplace isn’t necessarily tied to one location – as you could be a driver or travelling salesman – you still run the risk of bring injured in the workplace anytime company equipment or work-related travel is involved. Since that is the case, automobile related injuries and fatalities remain an ever-present danger to both workers and employers.
Now that we’ve covered some of the most common types of workplace injuries – it’s time to start preventing them! Moving forward we’ll discuss a few different topics that you should (morally and legally) consider implementing or practicing in your workplace.
We’ve all heard the saying; you can’t teach an old dog new tricks – well that couldn’t be further from the truth. By continually training your employees or team on their roles, machinery, safety procedures, etc. you can greatly reduce the number of workplace injuries by ensuring that everyone knows and remembers how to safely navigate the workplace in their day-to-day lives.
One of the simplest solutions that you can (and should for legal reasons) follow is adding signs and labels to anything that may be hazardous or potentially dangerous. Whether it be for WHMIS purposes or just a cautionary wet floor sign – both your workers and/or customers will know that a potential hazard exists and will be able to adjust or be more vigilant navigating through your workplace.
As mentioned above, some of the most common workplace related injuries comes from both fires and slips, trips, and falls. When you have a messy or cluttered working space, you actually run the risk of creating both a tripping hazard and a fire hazard by not having clear pathways that your customers or employees can navigate through.
While some may disagree, there is no excuse for not having your floor ways clear of debris or clutter –we strongly recommend that you look into some business storage solutions (covered in the last section of this article).
Many of the items on this list may seem like they are targeting the employers, but employees also have a significant role to play when it comes to workplace safety. Employees should always remain aware of their surroundings and attentive when navigating potentially unsafe environments. They may need to bring these up with an employer to correct – but they should take every precaution to protect themselves as well. Check out the Government of Canada’s website for more info on the duties and responsibilities for employers and employees.
Looking into extra storage options for your business is not only handy, but it can also have a significant impact on your workers safety. While it can’t solve every issue like repetitive stress injuries or vehicle related injuries. It can help reduce the risk of trips and falls along with removing potential fire hazards / clearing out emergency fire routes in your building.
If you’re interested in additional business storage options, we can help! At Coast Containers have both new and used shipping containers for sale / sea cans for sale across Canada. With a ton of different shapes and sizes in our inventory – we can fit almost any need or space. Check out our stock online or give us a call for a free quote!
