Ergonomics Consultants | Workplace Safety - Solutions Northwest, Inc.

How To Prevent These 3 Common Office Injuries

by Solutions Northwest | Dec 20, 2022 | Ergonomics, Ergonomics Assessments, Ergonomics Solutions, Human Factors Theory, Office Design, Office Ergonomics, Office Management, Work Safety, Workplace Safety

How To Prevent These 3 Common Office Injuries

Returning to the Office – Tips to Prevent 3 Common Office Injuries from Ergonomics Consultants.

Whether you are recently returning to the office after working remotely or have worked in the office for years, it is easy to forget that there are still work hazards in such a seemingly benign environment.

Below, our ergonomics consultants will review 3 of the most common workplace injuries and how to avoid them.

1. Slip and Fall Injury

While 1 in 4 accidents in the warehousing and storage industry occur when employees fall, that doesn’t mean the office is immune from slip and fall injury. In fact, according to the National Safety Council, “research finds that ‘fall from the same level injury is one of the highest injury causes” in the workplace. These “same level” falls generally occur when one spills in the office and does not properly clean the spill.

Prevent workplace injury with a policy to always clean up spills in the office (even if the mess was caused by someone else) and post proper hazard signs on wet surfaces that are being cleaned.

Also, be mindful that not all slips will come from spilt beverages. Prevent injury by being cleaning up after wet floors from rain, exposed cords, unstable work surfaces, uneven floors, loose rugs, cluttered areas, or even dusty areas that may cause employees to slip and injure themselves.

2. Repetitive Injury Due to Improper Office Ergonomics

While most offices don’t require workers to engage in strenuous activity like lifting heavy objects, most offices do require employees to use a computer.

Working for extended hours on the computer can contribute to repetitive stress in the wrist, arthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

To prevent injury at work, it is important to design an employee’s desk with ergonomics in mind. We recommend having an ergonomic assessment done by an ergonomics expert to setup a workstation designed for comfort, efficiency, and worker safety.

Consider investing in an ergonomic keyboard and mouse as well as learning wrist exercises and hand stretches.

3. Fire Safety

Fire safety should never be ignored. Whether from a kitchen accident or faulty wiring, if a fire breaks out your office should be equipped to handle it.

Fire extinguishers in the appropriate places and exits that are clear of obstacles and properly marked are very important in making sure that employees can evacuate safely and in a timely fashion.

Always Have an Office Safety Plan

Make sure your Human Resources department has developed an office safety plan. If you already have one, be sure to review it annually and update it whenever changes in procedures or the office environment could create new hazards or impact existing ones.

Need help developing an office safety plan or assessing your office safety needs? At Solutions Northwest Inc., our mission is to prevent workplace conditions and injuries from developing and to intervene when prevention has stumbled.

Solutions Northwest Inc. offers the resources of highly skilled and experienced Ergonomics Consultants who are exceedingly accomplished in their field. For more information contact us at SolutionsNW.com, we will be happy to help you!

Subscribe to our ergonomics blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics evaluations available in: Seattle, WA, Tacoma, WA, Olympia, WA, Vancouver, WA, Kent, WA Renton, WA, Beaverton, OR, Portland, OR, Salem, OR.

Virtual Ergonomics Assessment available nationwide!

Contact the Ergonomics Experts at Solutions Northwest Inc. Below:

Multiple Locations

Corporate Office: 120 State Ave. NE #397
Olympia, WA 98501
Business Hours: 8am-5pm M-F
Corporate FAX: 360-866-4773
Email: Info@solutionsnw.com

Olympia, WA

360-236-8748

Portland/Salem, OR

503-768-9742

Seattle, WA

206-521-5676

Contact our Ergonomics Experts

Human Factors Theory and Workplace Safety

by Solutions Northwest | Nov 17, 2022 | Human Factors Theory, Human Resources, Personal Injury, Personal Injury Earning Capacity, Vocational Assessments, Vocational Evaluations, Work Safety, Workplace Safety

Human Factors Theory and Workplace Safety

Human beings spend around a third of their lives at the workplace. So it is no surprise that almost seven million Americans get injured at work every year.

The economic impact on companies is enormous due to time lost in productivity. In fact, many of these workplace injuries may have been prevented if the correct precautions had been taken.

To prevent these workplace injuries, businesses will often consult with vocational experts that understand human factors theory and specialize in preventing workplace accidents.

What is Human Factors Theory?

Imagine you walk into a room, down the sidewalk, or interact with a piece of equipment. In each scenario, there are many things that dictate how you behave, how you think, and how the environment impacts you.

Certain things about our human nature, abilities, and limitations, impact how we act and react. This is called human factors theory. We may not know it, but we are surprisingly predictable.

Human factors encompass various fields, such as psychology, engineering, and biomechanics. Depending on the domain you are in, the definition might vary slightly.

A human factors expert will often look at different factors when examining how to make a workplace safer. These can include the job itself, the design of the workspace, and how well-suited a person is to carry out their function.

Some human factors which commonly cause workplace accidents or injuries are:

Impaired judgment
Distraction
Forgetting an important task
Insufficient experience or skills
Personality mismatched to job
Workplace culture

This highlights the need for employee training, proper supervision, and regular inspections.

The Importance of Ergonomics in the Workplace

Ergonomics is the answer to human factors problems in the workplace. It is a science that focuses on improving how employees interact with their environment.

An ergonomics expert will help create a safer working environment and reduce personal injuries such as back aches and wrist pain, burnout, or even slipping and falling at work.

Ergonomics ranges from the layout of a desk to the positioning of controls and protective measures. However, it also has a psychological aspect. High workload, long shifts, poor management, and lack of training can increase the risk of workplace injury.

In fact, even lighting, noise, and poor signage are all examples of poor workplace ergonomics.

Forensic Referral in Personal Injury Cases

When there has been an injury in the workplace, you will need the forensic services of a vocational expert.

Someone trained in human factors issues and ergonomics will be able to provide expert legal testimony about what contributed to a workplace accident and why the work environment led to the incident.

A vocational expert witness will provide an impartial analysis of how much an employee will lose in earnings from their injury and how bad their disability is.

Improve Workplace Safety with a Human Factors Expert

An expert in human factors theory can help you design your workplace to avoid injuries and keep employees happy. However, when a personal injury has occurred, they will also provide expert legal testimony to explain what happened.

If you are interested in hiring an expert, we invite you to contact our vocational and ergonomics experts at Solutions Norhtwest Inc. for advice or services. Our experts are involved in personal injury, workers’ compensation, ergonomics, and family law.

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