Injuries at work have become something we all hear about, either due to someone suing their employer, the employer complaining about the number of working days lost to being signed off, or simply because the story was funny, like the incident report on the hapless labourer that met the bucket on the way down...Don't remember? Let me remind you:

"Dear Sir

I am writing to further elaborate on the incident and complete the accident report form. "Poor planning" was the cause and I hope find this explained further.

I am a bricklayer by trade. On the day of the accident, I was working alone on the roof of a new six story building. On completion, I found some bricks left over which, (when weighed later) were found to be slightly in excess of 600 lbs. Instead of carrying the bricks down by hand, I decided to lower them in a barrel by using a pulley. Securing the rope at ground level, I went up to the roof, swung the barrel out and loaded the bricks into it.

At the bottom, I untied the rope and held it tightly to ensure a slow descent of the bricks. I refer to Block 10 on the report that I am 140lbs. Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so dramatically, I forgot to let go of the rope. Upon realisation of what I had done, I was still proceeding up the side of the building very quickly. At about the 3rd floor, I came face to face with barrel which was hurtling downwards at a truly impressive speed.

This is the explanation I offer for my fractured skull, minor abrasions and broken collar bone.

My ascent slowed fractionally, I continued upwards, only stopping when the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley. Incredibly at this time I had regained my presence of mind and remembered to hold onto the rope despite being in intense pain. Around this time the barrel of bricks hit the ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Now the barrel weighed considerably less (60lbs). Once again, I note that I weigh 140lbs.

This time round I began a rapid descent, down the side of the building. Around about the 3rd floor, I once again came face to face with the barrel on its way up. This equates to the two fractured ankles, broken tooth and lacerations of my legs and lower body. Here my luck began to change. The encounter with the barrel slowed me down enough to minimise my injuries when I fell into the pile of bricks at the bottom. Luckily only three vertebrae were cracked. I am sorry to state however, that whilst laying there on the pile of bricks, I once again lost my presence of mind and let go of the rope. My last memory is of watching the empty barrel coming back down. This accounts for the two broken legs.

I hope this answers your inquiry."

This may raise a chuckle, however work place incidents are too common and generally could have been avoided through extra diligence and forethought. Common sense is the main thing that will prevent you from having accidents and the application of basic rules by all your employees:

• Wear the correct protective equipment - gloves, hats, eye protectors, shoes. The employer should ensure that their employees have the correct equipment to work safely.

• Pay attention to hazard signs and what they mean. Don't switch off because you see the sign every day, remember why it is there!

• Report hazards! If you see anything that isn't as it should be, tell your floor manager. If you ignore, you are responsible for any accident due to it!

• Have awareness for those around you. Don't assume everyone can see you or know where you are.

• Make sure materials and pallets are stacked properly. Make sure there is stability. Pallet inverters and stackers can't do everything for you!

Of course anyone working within a warehouse should have basic training on how to lift items and how to carry them, but you may need to occasionally do on the spot checks to make sure employees are following the correct way of doing things. People often drop procedure for a quicker alternative. The same applies to machinery. Training people on how to use things isn't enough - monitoring procedure is necessary to make sure that things are done the right way.

Employers have a much larger role to play nowadays in warehouse safety, from providing training to the continued use of the theory and practices, however if done well, there is no reason that efficiency shouldn't also improve. Just beware for falling barrels....!