It’s cause for alarm anytime a workplace accident occurs but the question is can they really be avoided? It’s probably impractical to suggest that all incidents can be eliminated, afterall, workplace settings are inherently dangerous. However carelessness, and apathy can add to this already present risk.

In truth, workplace accidents happen for a lot of reasons. Issues involving the floors or walk areas end up accounting for many of the problems. Simply teaching or fostering a degree of increased awareness will help a lot. Make sure spills and wet areas are cleaned up quickly and avoid have a lot of debris, tools, or equipment left scattered around where people might trip over them. Making sure the work force is wearing proper footwear with good treads is also helpful. Also avoid having workers attempt to carry too much while walking. Anything that can inhibit the view of the ground for the employee can be a problem.

All steps in the factory setting should have hand rails and proper materials on the steps to provide a good stable, non-slip step. Adding traction pads or replaced worn areas can help a great deal.

In many cases, improper storage and handling of goods and supplies can lead to injury. All racks and support structures need to be secure and sturdy. If storing chemicals or cleaning solutions, as well as any dangerous product, proper storage is essential. All employees must be trained on proper handling and storage of dangerous materials and reviews should be done often to limit mishaps. Should an accident occur with one of these materials, it’s important the workers are trained in how to handle these situations properly as well. What do they do in the immediate area, who do they inform first, and if injury is present how can they be of help to the injured person? All of these questions must be covered.

Burns are also rank highly as one of the common issues reported to OSHA in terms of accidents. It’s estimated that up to 25% of all accidents may be burn related. Often these injuries come from electrical systems which makes electrical safety training very important for those working around such systems. Some burns come from scalding where hot water might be used, and chemicals of course can cause dangerous burns as well, which once again, highlights the need for proper handling and training.

Many people think that workplace safety only needs to be highlighted in these factory settings, however in truth, any company, and even those with office positions need to cover safety in their training.

If a worker sits stationary for a very long period of time, or does repetitive work day after day, it’s important to take routine breaks and move around a bit. Get up from the chair, or away from the computer for awhile if possible. Be sure that when setting up a chair, the height is correct to maintain good posture. Ergonomically you shouldn’t be slumped over or have the keyword too far away.

There are many other things to consider when you’re workplace is an office environment. We’ll cover more tips to avoid any injuries like this in a future article.

In the end, we may never avoid workplace accidents entirely, however limiting them, and the degree of injury, will certainly go a long way.