According to ILO, 3,000 people are killed at work every day. That is more than 12 deaths every day, or an average of 85 deaths per week. Moreover, over 1 Million non-fatal illnesses and injuries are reported in both public and private sectors every year.
A workplace accident may be mild and only need a brief visit to the doctor, or it may be more serious and necessitate many days away from work. Regardless, it's critical to understand the injuries that happen most frequently and how to avoid getting hurt again.
What types of workplace accidents are most prevalent? Although both companies and employees generally place a high focus on workplace safety, accidents can sometimes occur. The statistics on workplace accidents are highlighted below. These injuries are mostly common among factory and labor workers, as well as nursing aides and licensed nurses.
1. 35% of instances are due to overuse and physical reaction. This can be brought on by continually performing similar or same duties, lifting big objects, bending, reaching too far, pushing and dragging heavy weights, or working in awkward bodily positions.
2. Trips, falls, and other mishaps make up 27% of all cases. 17% of those incidents involved falls on similar levels.
3. Finally, contact with equipment or items makes about 25% of all instances.
According to study, the most common age group for workers injured at work was 45 to 54. Most frequently, workers who had workplace injuries are bound to miss out on at least 30 working days annually. The most probable group of workers to experience a workplace injury is of those who have worked for the same firm for over 4 years.
How to Avoid Common Workplace Injuries
There are some workplace accidents that can be avoided. Investing in high-quality ergonomic furniture and equipment is one of the best ways to prevent workplace accidents and injuries. Ergonomics is the study of how people interact with their environment. When it comes to the workplace, this includes things like adjusting furniture and equipment to fit the individual, as well as creating specific work tasks that are suited for each person's abilities.
Workplace injuries are all too common, but they don't have to be. By implementing ergonomics into your workplace, you can help avoid many of the most common injuries. One of the main benefits of using ergonomics in the workplace is that it can help prevent injuries. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the most common types of injury in the workplace, and can include anything from carpal tunnel syndrome to back pain. Ergonomics helps to adjust tasks and workstations to fit each individual worker, which can help reduce the risk of developing an MSD.
In addition to preventing MSDs, ergonomics can also help reduce other types of workplace injuries. For example, slips, trips and falls often occur when workers aren't adjusted properly to their surroundings. By using ergonomic principles in your office layout and design, you can help create a safer working environment for your employees.
It looks at ways to optimize the workspace to make it more comfortable and efficient for the worker. There are many benefits of office ergonomics, including improved productivity, reduced stress, and fewer injuries.
In addition, ergonomics also helps to improve productivity. When workers are comfortable and have everything they need within reach, they are able to work more efficiently. In addition, when the workplace is organized in a way that is conducive to productivity, workers are less likely to be distracted by unnecessary clutter.
Ergonomic Workplace Injuries
Ergonomic injuries, in general, are injuries brought on by factors related to a person's muscle activity, posture, and body mechanics in connection to their equipment and workspace. Any sort of workspace, from a modern office to a bedroom office, has ergonomic considerations that could affect an employee's safety and ability to perform their job. Individuals may suffer discomfort or pain for several weeks prior to an injury being identified, which can be acute or chronic.
Musculoskeletal Disorders, also known as MSDs, are the most common type of ergonomic injuries caused by many factors, such as poor posture, lack of movement, eye strain, etc. While ergonomic discomfort and injuries can be prevented and treated in a number of ways, certain manufacturers have taken the lead in creating creative solutions that address all aspects of the problem.
What ergonomic injuries occur most frequently?
There are many different types of ergonomic injuries and MSDs, but a few deserve special attention, especially among workers in the manufacturing and industrial sectors.
Lower back discomfort
Whether from work-related causes or not, almost every adult has undoubtedly experienced lower back discomfort at some point. Lower back discomfort can be crippling for workers in high-activity jobs like manufacturing, shipping, and other industries. It can quickly go from a simple annoyance to a serious injury. Excessive effort, bad mechanics, weariness, and equipment that does not fit the worker's body can all lead to lower back pain and injury.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome, also frequent among office workers, affects a sizable fraction of the labor force annually in industrial and manufacturing environments. It happens when the wrist's muscles and tendons become inflamed as a result of overuse and bad mechanics, swelling and pressing on the median nerve. Many patients first notice CTS as numbness or tingling in their hands and fingers, which can develop into discomfort and muscular weakness. Women are more likely than males to experience CTS, but everyone is susceptible to it if there is no ergonomic intervention, especially employees whose occupations involve constant wrist and hand motions.
Shoulder and neck injuries
Employees across a wide range of occupations may have ergonomic injuries to the neck and shoulders. Neck injuries can be caused due to several reasons, such as bad working posture or excessive movement of the neck when the monitor is not at eye level. Similar to back problems, shoulder injuries can happen when a worker must hold one or both arms above their head or carry a large object for extended periods of time. Continuous arm and shoulder elevation is a common cause of MSDs among factory workers.
Tendinitis
a general word used to indicate inflammation of the tendons, the dense, fibrous fibers that run the length of the human body and join muscle to bone. Tendinitis, whether it affects the arms, hips, or legs, can make work very difficult and result in substantial discomfort, despite the fact that it may sound less harmful than other acute injuries. Employees whose professions involve a lot of physical effort are more likely to experience it.
Tennis elbow
Tennis elbow, sometimes referred to as epicondylitis, is a painful or inflamed area on the outside of the limb where the tricep attaches to the elbow joint. Epicondylitis is named after a sports injury, although it can also affect workers in occupations that demand hard labor. The employee's dominant arm is generally affected, and therapy might cost up to $70,000 to $80,000.
People who fit this description are also thought to have a high risk of developing injuries of an ergonomic kind. All of the aforementioned injury types can result in a lengthier recovery time due to less bone strength. In addition to slowing healing, diseases like arthritis can exacerbate joint pain brought on by tennis elbow or CTS.
How to Avoid Common Workplace Injuries
Proper office setup is essential for preventing ergonomic injuries. To help prevent injuries, we advise taking the following considerations into account:
Monitor Arms
You are already preventing the onset of an ergonomic injury by using a monitor arm. You can change the monitor's height using the arms so that it is exactly at your eye level and you won't have to squint or bend down to see it.
Desk and Chair Height
You can alternate between sitting down and standing at a sit-stand workstation all day long. Altering your position frequently helps lessen the discomfort associated with prolonged sitting and help prevent issues like neck and back injuries, as well as stiff muscles.
Correct Posture
We suggest utilizing a modifiable chair with good lumbar support to reduce ergonomic issues like lower back pain. The best ergonomic position is automatically adjusted by ergonomic task chairs using your body weight, but you can additionally recline the chair and adjust the armrests as needed.
Final Thoughts
Office ergonomics can help reduce stress levels in the workplace. When workers have a comfortable chair and an appropriate desk height, they are less likely to feel stressed out or cramped. Additionally, if there is adequate lighting and noise control in the office, workers will be less likely to feel overwhelmed or irritated by their surroundings.
Finally, office ergonomics can help prevent injuries in the workplace. By adjusting the height of your chair and desk, you can minimize strain on your body while working. Additionally, if your computer monitor is positioned correctly, you will be less likely to experience eye strain or neck pain from prolonged use.
Overall, using ergonomics in the workplace is a great way to improve safety and prevent injuries. If you're looking for ways to make your office more safe and comfortable for your employees, consider implementing some basic ergonomic principles into your workspace!
