It is estimated that one million people in the UK suffer injury at their workplace, the majority of which could have been avoided.
No matter what profession or occupation you are working within, your employer has a duty of care to protect you in the workplace. If you feel you have received a lack of training, inadequate equipment or defective equipment you should tell your employer immediately. Although Health and Safety in the workplace has improved there is still a high risk within most professions.
Lifting and Carrying
Manual handling is a skill you should have been trained in prier to starting your job. Without the correct training you are at risk of causing injury to your neck, back, arms and legs. Sprains, whiplash and even fractures could occur due to the wrong manual handling procedure. Incorrect manual handling can occur across a number of occupations such as, shops, warehouses, construction sites and even offices. Stock, tools and equipment all need to be moved from place to place, which is why Health and Safety guidelines were put in place.
Falling from Height
Window Cleaners, Construction Workers, etc face this risk everyday. Ladders, platforms and scaffolding all pose increased risk to safety. Falling from height holds the highest fatality rate within work injuries.
Road Accidents
If you drive for a living you are, like all drivers, putting yourself at risk on a daily basis. Postmen, delivery drivers, lorry drivers, taxi drivers and salespeople are among the occupations where road accidents pose a great risk. Your employer should maintain the vehicles conditions and they should be checked before being used, especially on long journeys. You should also keep alert on the road through regular breaks to maintain full concentration. An injury whilst driving for a living can cause serious injury that could leave you out of work for weeks even months and in extreme cases could end your occupation altogether. Slips/Trips/Falls
Health and Safety regulations are in place regarding this matter. All slips should be cleared up immediately and wet floors should be properly signposted to warn of danger. Slips/trips/falls can be a problem across pretty much all occupations. A slip, trip or fall can cause a range of injury such as broken/fractured bones, strain, whiplash and torn tendons/muscles.
Burns
Any occupations that are working close to live currents, such as electricians and construction workers, are at risk of burns as well as electric shock. The worst case scenario for workers in these occupations are fatal electrocution. Kitchen workers are also exposed to risk of burns. In busy kitchens the risks of accidents increase.
Back/Neck Injury
Occupations such as office workers, drivers, and most occupations that involve sitting down for most of the day can put a strain on your neck and back, often causing extreme pain that could leave you out of work for weeks. Poor posture and badly designed workstations can contribute to neck and back injury. To reduce the risk of neck and back injury it is important to remember to take regular breaks in order to stop your neck going stiff and to reduce the risk of back pain.
Repetitive Strain Injury
One in fifty workers are said to suffer from Repetitive Strain Injury. Occupations that require regular use of arm and hands for most of the day. People who work in occupations such as typists, factory workers and drivers are at risk of suffering from repetitive strain injury. Common symptoms of repetitive strain injury include pain and numbness. Related conditions are Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.
Post Traumatic Stress
Post traumatic stress is a condition that people suffer from after an emotional or stressful event has happened in their lives. It leaves people unable to live their lives in the normal ways. Drivers could suffer post traumatic stress after a road accident, bank workers or post office staff could suffer as a result of an armed robbery or factory workers could after coming into contact with hazardous substances. Common symptoms include, sleep disturbances, nightmares, sweats and shakes.
These are just a handful of the injuries that can occur in the workplace. If you do suffer injury as a result of your occupation due to someone else's negligence you could be entitled to personal injury compensation.
There are several steps that you should take if you do have an injury at work. Always right your accident in the accident book. This should be done as soon as possible and every workplace should have one. You should make sure that the facts in the accident book are correct and if there are any witnesses you should take their details so an account of what happened can be taken from them if it is needed. As well as this you should go to the doctors or hospital is necessary so that there is a record of your medical history. All of this is crucial if you intend on claiming for compensation.
Helen Cox is the web master for font Accident Consult, specialists in all types of work accidents.
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