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!
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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
Portland/Salem, OR
