Did you know that there were almost 3 million injuries and illnesses in the workplace last year?
Luckily, this statistic applies to injuries and illnesses that were non-fatal. It’s always important to have worker’s comp doctors on hand to make sure non-fatal injuries stay that way. Injuries should be treated with the utmost care so that an employee is able to return to work as soon as possible.
While an employer can do everything in their power and more to prevent work accident injuries, they can still occur at almost any time.
Keep reading to learn about the 7 most common workplace accidents and how to deal with them?
When at a construction site, for example, employees have bigger concerns than if it rained cats and dogs. It’s possible that tools, stones, and other heavy objects can fall from the sky and seriously hurt one of your employees.
Hard hats are always a necessity and a requirement but they aren’t impervious to everything. If an object with a lot of weight and speed hits an employee’s head, it can still cause a concussion or worse. Not to mention, shoulders, arms, and feet can also be targeted by falling objects.
Of course, it doesn’t have to be a construction site for employees to be put at risk. Warehouses are filled with stacked objects waiting to fall. Even an office workplace has cupboards full of plates, cups, and more, all of which can do damage depending on the circumstances.
When work accident doctors are presented with a patient who has been injured by a falling object, they’ll need to diagnose it by using an MRI, CT, or x-ray scan. Depending on the severity of the injury, the employee might need pain management and physical therapy.
Your employees don’t have to work in a skating rink for them to slip and fall.
This common injury can occur on any slippery surface, whether it’s a spilled drink in the office breakroom, a puddle outside the warehouse, or something else.
After a work accident doctor has determined the severity of a slip and fall injury using diagnostic tools, they may need to immobilize the damaged area.
In other words, a sprained ankle would require a knee brace so that ligaments and tendons are kept in place.
A whiplash injury can occur if an employee is driving a vehicle, such as a forklift or a truck, and gets into an accident.
Whiplash injuries can involve damage to the neck, head, and even the brain.
In order to minimize the injuries that an employee might sustain in a collisional accident, they should always wear their seatbelt and practice diligent driving habits, such as checking rearview mirrors and using turn signals when appropriate.
Whiplash injuries might have to be treated by immobilizing the neck in a brace as well as with regular sessions of physical therapy.
Industrial deafness is a gradual injury to the inner ears that comes from the presence of very loud noises.
Certain factory machines and construction equipment can be a hazard to your employee’s ears.
It’s best to take preventative measures from the beginning by providing your workers with ear protection, such as earplugs or over-the-ear noise-canceling headphones.
A worker’s comp doctor can diagnose hearing loss by performing auditory tests. In certain cases, a hearing aid might be required.
Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is another type of injury that is gradual. It comes from doing the same action again and again for a prolonged period of time, causing damage to the tendons and muscles.
However, just like with industrial deafness, you can take measures to prevent it from happening.
Employees should be instructed to take regular, short breaks during work and they should also be given ergonomic equipment to minimize strain and discomfort.
Depending on the severity, RSI might need to be treated with pain management and physical therapy.
Employees can suffer one or more lacerations through a variety of different ways, including when they use tools like a pair of scissors or a power saw.
Many of these types of lacerations can be prevented by giving each employee the proper training for each tool. Employees should also wear the appropriate safety equipment, including gloves and boots.
However, accidents do happen, so if an employee ends up with a laceration, stitches will most likely be required.
Did you know that there are 2 million cases of workplace assaults or threats every year?
It’s a shocking statistic but it’s important to keep it in mind. Workplace violence can be prevented by increasing teamwork and bonding. Differences can also be resolved in a calm and mediated environment.
In the event of a physical fight between your employees, you might have two or more workers with any number of different injuries, including concussions, sprained muscles, and lacerations.
The extent of the injuries would need to be determined by a worker’s comp doctor who can then outline the best course of treatment.
Now that you know about the 7 most common workers’ comp accidents and how to deal with them, you can be ready if and when an unfortunate accident occurs. Just because accidents are a part of life, it doesn’t mean that they have to ruin lives.
We list the best workers’ comp doctors around. From orthopedists and neurologists to chiropractors and physical therapists, our experts can make sure that your injured employees are healed as quickly and as effectively as possible.
Get help now, call 1-800-897-8440 to find highly-rated workers’ compensation doctors near you. We’re always happy to help!
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