People are a business’s greatest asset, and it’s essential to keep employees safe by ensuring the workplace isn’t full of dangerous hazards. Injuries can cause workers to lose productivity, which in turn negatively impacts the business.

Unfortunately, despite many safety precautions, work-related accidents and injuries occur all the time. Check out this article to learn more about how these incidents can be costly for you. No matter how much you prepare, you can still fall victim to unforeseen dangers and potentially end up unable to work. Here, we’ve collected helpful information on the most common workplace injuries every worker should know.

Slip And Fall Injuries in the Workplace

Slippery floors are a common sight in a business and are among the leading workplace injury causes in Alberta. Check out this article for more about claiming for slips and falls.

The most common causes of slips and falls in the workplace include:

Wet or cluttered floors
Loose floorboards
Damaged sidewalks
Potholes in parking lots
Poor-quality stairs
Torn carpets
Recently mopped or waxed surfaces
Insufficient training

Despite the high number of incidents, many of these causes are easily preventable with proper precautions like:

Mopping up wet floors immediately after spills
Setting up warning signs on wet surfaces
Filling in cracks and holes on sidewalks
Using mats to soak up excess moisture
Checking weather conditions and prepare for upcoming hazards
Keeping walkways clean and clear of obstacles like cords and open drawers
Making sure the workplace is properly lit

Muscle Strain Injuries in the Workplace

Muscle strains include any injuries to the tendons that connect your bones and muscles. These can range from painfully stretched tendons to more severe tears. With many jobs requiring the moving of heavy objects, injuries like these are becoming more common in the workplace.

Without proper training, it can be easy for you to sustain muscle injuries during physical work.

Single events, such as carrying a heavy item, can cause acute strains if done incorrectly
Many repetitive activities can lead to painful chronic muscle strains

Like most injuries in the workplace, you can avoid muscle strains with:

Proper training to teach you how to lift and move heavy objects safely
Instructions on how to properly bend, lift, and carry without placing significant stress on your muscles
New equipment and tools that can perform potentially dangerous tasks for you

Vehicle-Related Injuries

Working with vehicles can expose you to new risks and potential accidents. Incidents like crashes are quite frequent, especially in industries like manufacturing and agriculture. If you are a victim of a crash, this article can guide you in the right direction when deciding the type of legal action you can take.

Workplace vehicle accidents include:

Crashes and collisions
Getting hit or run over
Falling out of a vehicle
Being hit by objects falling from a vehicle
Getting trapped underneath an overturned vehicle

There are many steps to take to lessen the risk of vehicle accidents.

Listing the potential dangers of the workplace’s vehicles
Determining who could be harmed in each situation
Calculating the risk for each type of accident
Reviewing the risk assessment regularly and update it for changes like new vehicles

Additional Info on Workplace Injuries
Evidence to Collect after A Workplace Accident	Report the accident to your workplace supervisor Treat any injury Fill out an accident report Get witness testimonies from fellow employees Note down details like the location and time of the incident
Tips in Filing Workplace Injury Claim	Canada’s government has a compensation system that you can claim from if you get injured in the workplace. You can file with the Worker’s Compensation Board to open a dispute.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident in The Workplace	Get medical assistance Report the incident Make sure the accident area is cleared of hazards Keep records of medical expenses and injury symptoms

Keep safe while working in order to avoid workplace injuries that could affect your career and life in the long term. To know more about workplace injuries in Alberta, talk to a personal injury lawyer from Diamond & Diamond Lawyers today.

Pro-Tip

“If you happen to sustain an injury in the workplace, make sure to report it immediately. Doing so will not only give the employer information to make a protocol change that will prevent future accidents, but it can also help you in filing a formal notice for your personal injury claim.”

Machinery Injuries While At Work

Heavy machinery in industrial workplaces can cause disabling or even fatal accidents. There are a handful of causes for dangerous incidents.:

Lack of training
Using machinery without protective gear
Malfunctioning machinery
Force majeure

Some examples of machinery-related accidents include:

Being struck by tools or moving objects
Machinery catching fire or exploding
Repetitive strain injuries from handling materials
Injuries from hand tools
Chemical hazards
Insufficient ventilation
Poor guarding techniques

Workplaces can lower the risk of these dangers by:

Making sure everyone wears protective gear
Cleaning areas around dangerous machinery
Ensuring machinery has reliable safety guards like sensors.
Replacing old equipment with newer and safer models
Training the workforce in safety procedures and operating the machinery
Preventing untrained workers from using dangerous machines and tools

Contact An Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer in Alberta

Most workplaces are full of hazards that can lead to accidents, no matter how many precautions they implement. If you’ve been injured in the workplace in Alberta, our experienced Diamond and Diamond personal injury lawyers can help. We can assist you with filing a claim and getting you the care you need. The compensation process can be confusing, so contact us at 1-800-567-HURT for a free consultation. You can find out more about us and our expert services here.