Work Injury
What is a work injury?
A work injury, also known as an occupational injury, is what we call physical damage to the body resulting from work-related activities. Any of part of the body can be involved in work injuries, including but not limited to the head, spine, hands, lungs, eyes, skin, and skeleton. Work injuries can occur from exposure to occupational hazards which can be physical, biological, chemical, or psychosocial, such as contact with hazardous chemicals, occupational burnout, radiation, animal bites, aerosols, blood-borne pathogens, noise, insects, and temperature.
Although many preventive measures are usually taken in the workplace, injuries are still bound to occur as a result of poor ergonomics, equipment failure, insufficient safety training and exposure to general hazards.
Common Causes of Work Injuries
The workplace can expose you to danger, especially if you work in an industrial environment. Accidents can be caused by numerous factors such as handling hazardous material, folding, and even physical overexertion. Various factors can influence or contribute to a workplace injury:
Fatigue
Not taking breaks in between work can cause a work injury. To ensure recovery from grueling manual labour, frequent breaks should be taken by employees. Not taking breaks can result in a range of physical issues such as overall exhaustion and atrophy. Either of these can produce far more devastating results than a short 10-minute break.
Lifting
Many employees are prone to having a sprain, strain, or tear in a muscle as a result of lifting heavy objects on their own. Employees should be reminded to seek help when faced with objects that are too difficult to lift.
Dehydration
Disastrous consequences can be experienced in the workplace as a result of not being well hydrated, especially on hot summer days. Not drinking enough water can cause cardiac conditions and heat stroke.
Trips and falls
A trip or fall can result from high-traffic corridors and slick floors. Improper footwear can also be a contributing factor. Slips commonly occur in office kitchens and break rooms due to the expected presence of drinks.
Abandoned items that are left to sit out in high-traffic corridors, inappropriately taped extension cords, and loose carpets are contributors to tripping over in the workplace, which in some cases will leave more than just a stubbed toe.
Poor lighting
Poorly lit stairs and hallways can be dangerous because they impair the ability to see potential hazards. Inadequate lighting contributes to the number of accidents yearly in the workplace. This is often ignored when taking preventive measures for accidents.
Hazardous material
Employees that get exposed to hazardous material, toxic waste, and chemicals should utilise protective clothing and gloves. Not adhering to these safety rules can lead to explosions, burns, respiratory disorders, skin infections, and blindness.
Stress
Stress is a leading cause of many injuries in the workplace. It has an effect on the human body in every way possible. Stress can lead to negative effects which can affect people mentally, physiologically, and emotionally.
Falling Objects
Inappropriately placed pieces of furniture, such as filing cabinets and bookcases, can put nearby workers at risk of an injury. They have the potential to pitch forward and off-load their content. Heavy objects such as file boxes and supplies stacked on high shelves can also cause work injury if the structure gets bumped or while they are put back in the shelves.
Common Types of Work Injury
Repetitive Motion
This can occur while carrying out regular work activities, such as typing at a desk or operating a piece of equipment in a factory.
Vehicle Accident
This can occur while working with company vehicles such as trucks and forklifts.
Mechanical Equipment
This type of work injury can occur while operating machines and other industrial engines. The skills of a chiropractor will be needed in this type of work injury.
Falling, Slipping and Tripping Over
This can include falling from a great height, or a simple slip-and-fall accident:
Physiotherapy for Treating Workplace Injury
Physiotherapy is often used to treat musculoskeletal types of work injury to help workers return to work as soon as possible. It is important to assess and treat work injuries as soon as they happen, and your doctor and therapist should be involved at this stage.
An assessment of the condition will help rule out more serious injuries. With the right medication and therapy, recovery can be enhanced.
Getting Help
If you are involved in a work injury, you should seek immediate help to get treated. We have a team of Osteopaths and Physical Therapists that can help treat the damages resulting from a work injury. Get help today!