Common Workplace Hazards
In the modern workplace, even though safety concerns are a regular topic of review and discussion, workers are still at risk of a broad range of injuries. Whether in an industrial setting, or in office or retail work, you can still be exposed to a wide array of workplace hazards:- Falls from heights—Your job may require that you work on a ladder or scaffold, but you can also suffer injury simply going from one floor to another.
- Conditions or objects that cause you to slip or fall—You may work in a warehouse, where debris, materials or other objects are often left around. However, it's not uncommon for someone to suffer an injury on a slippery floor or broken stairway in a retail or office location. Slips and falls account for a significant number of workplace injuries. They may result from carelessness in leaving objects lying around, but often occur because of negligence in the placement of necessary objects, such as furniture, waste receptacles and machinery.
- Repetitive stress or motion injuries—Though customarily associated with people who conduct the same operation on a machine for hours at a time, these types of injuries can also be suffered by clerical workers or people sitting at a keyboard, if proper ergonomic precautions are not considered.
- Falling objects—In warehouse, wholesale, retail and industrial operations, workers can often be at risk of injury from falling objects, including products from a shelf, tools, machinery, or even other workers.
- Motor vehicle accidents—You may work on a job site where vehicles are regularly moving in, around and through. On the other hand, you may have a job that requires you to spend a significant amount of time behind the wheel.
- Dangerous or defective machinery—In an industrial or manufacturing facility, you may be exposed to heavy machinery that is either poorly designed or that breaks down, causing injury. You can also be at risk if your employer fails to take appropriate precautions to ensure your safety (such as prohibiting loose-fitting clothing or long sleeves near machines in which they might get entangled).
- Overexertion—You may be required to lift, carry, pull, push, hold or move objects that are too heavy or are unwieldy, putting you at significant risk of serious injury.