Your employer has a responsibility to provide a safe work environment for you and your co-workers. If you do experience an injury at work, you can usually claim compensation for it.
The National Safety Council tracks data related to work-related injuries and has found that many have similar causes. Knowing what is likely to cause workplace injuries may help you to avoid them.
1. Overexertion
Overexertion injuries can occur when you push your body too far. Attempting to lift or push something that is too heavy for you can result in an acute overexertion injury. Repetitive motion injuries that occur over time are another form of overexertion.
2. Slips, trips and falls
Falls can result in serious injuries, which is why your employer has a responsibility to prevent tripping hazards and keep floors from becoming slippery. In most workplaces, there is a risk of injury from falling on the same level, e.g., falling from a standing position onto the floor.
In some industries, such as construction, there is also a risk of falling to a lower level. This can result in more severe injuries. If you work in an industry that carries a risk of falling to a lower level, your employer has a responsibility to provide fall prevention safety equipment or training on ladders.
3. Contact with objects and equipment
Contact with objects and equipment can occur if a falling or moving object strikes you or if you get a part of your body stuck between two moving objects.
Within the last couple of years, exposure to harmful substances or environments became the top cause of work-related health issues. Exposure to temperature extremes, radiation, electricity, infectious diseases and excess noise are all examples of situations that can fall under this category and potentially cause you harm.