Slips, trips and serious injuries. Why do workplace accidents keep happening?

It’s easy to recognize when you’re at risk of getting injured. Whether that’s crossing a busy road, walking on an icy sidewalk or being approached by an aggressive dog. However, very few of us recognize that despite health and safety regulations, most of us are still at risk of injury in the workplace.

The most common kinds of injuries vary from industry to industry, however collectively you’ll find that the following are the most reported in the workplace.

Slips, trips and falls
Crushing accidents
Falls from height
Ill-health e.g. mesothelioma as a direct result of work
Struck by falling objects

It’s a requirement for industries and large companies to protect their employees in the event of a workplace accident. Workers’ compensation is there to help fund medical treatments and therapies and to get injured employees back into the workplace as quickly as possible – if you want to speak to a workers compensation lawyer (based in Atlanta) click the link to discuss your options. However, despite these legislations and protections being put in place, this begs the question: why do workplace accidents still happen?

Here we’ll look at some of the worrying reasons why workplace accidents are still occurring in 2020.

A lack of training

Training is fundamental in any role and in any business. Whether you’re on a construction site or working in an office, an induction into your role and basic safety procedures should always take place. When new recruits begin their employment without the proper training, not only are they at risk of injuring themselves but others too.

Refresher training should also take place throughout employment. This ensures that the correct procedures are still being followed, ensures that employees are using the latest methods and it also prevents bad workplace habits and corner-cutting from occurring.

Poorly maintained places of work

It doesn’t matter if you run a building site, factory or a small office operation, all places of work should be kept clean, tidy and well maintained. Failing to do so results in workplace accidents. Slipping on wet floors, tripping over obstructions in walkways, inadequate lighting, poor flooring solutions and failure to put safety guards on equipment and keep them maintained can all contribute to accidents at work.

Workers ignoring safety procedures

Workers who are overconfident or are considered veterans in their role may become nonchalant and neglect official safety procedures. Others may do this to save time or because they simply can't be bothered. Workers who ignore safety procedures are not only putting themselves at risk but also their fellow employees. For this reason, having the appropriate safety signage clearly displayed can help to reinforce the safety message and highlight any particular hazards in the workplace. For example, displaying forklift truck operating signs will warn staff members, pedestrians, and other vehicle users that forklift trucks are operating on-site. Other useful signs could be fire signs, trip hazard signs, and no entry signs.

Distractions in the workplace

Office romances, gossiping, employees slacking off, even illness and other life-related issues can create huge distractions in the workplace. When workers are too distracted, they can make mistakes and have accidents.

Finally, a negligent attitude towards safety

Some employers simply don’t consider workplace safety as a priority. Poor safety equipment, out of date procedures, poor training and a lack of care and consideration can put employees lives at risk.