The average worker spends more time at work than they do with their own families. Millions of workers spend thousands of hours in the workplace every year in Australia, so it's inevitable that accidents will occur. Workplace injuries are often minor and require no medical attention, but there are of course instances when on the job injuries are very serious and require immediate emergency care. While preventing all workplace injuries is impossible, being aware of common ones, and having a plan of action once one does occur, is helpful.
Common workplace accidents
There are literally hundreds of accidents that can happen on the job, but here is a list of the most common ones:
Strains and pulls- Heavy lifting, moving boxes, extensive pulling, these are all causes of back strains, pulled muscles, and herniated bones. Strains and pulls can happen in almost any working environment but are most likely to occur in construction and warehouse environments.
Repetitive strain injuries- Repeating the same actions for hours on end each day can cause muscles and tendons to ache, throb, and stop working altogether. Individuals who spend the majority of their day in front of computers, typewriters, and other stationary equipment are more susceptible to these types of injuries than others.
Slips and falls- You can trip, slip, or fall practically anywhere and on anything. Wet floors, poorly installed carpets, and items not placed where they belong can all lead to injuries on the job. Many of these injuries are truly accidents, but others often are the result of poor clean-up and lack of following workplace rules on the part of workers.
What you should do if you've been injured
If you've suffered from any of these types of workplace accidents or any other you should:
• Immediately notify your employer- Don't hesitate in informing your employer that you've been injured on the job.
• Get a copy of your workers compensation claim/accident report-Filing a workers compensation claim is crucial and obtaining a copy for your records is just as important.
• Seek medical help- Get medical treatment for your injuries so that you can get on the road to recovery as soon as possible.
• Keep documentation of all information related to your claims- Don't throw away anything that is even loosely related to your claim. Keep a record of everything as evidence of your injuries, expenses, and communications with your employer, insurance company, and lawyer.
• Seek legal help-Hiring a workplace accidents lawyer can help ease the pressure and anxiety that often accompanies on the job injuries.
