Five tips for preventing workplace wnjuries

Reducing Workplace Injuries

While there are surely some exceptions, the majority of workplace injuries are the result of an accident. These accidents can prevent you from being able to do your job. What’s worse is that these injuries come home with you and keep you from living your daily life outside of work.

The physical therapists at Whatcom Physical Therapy can help you overcome a workplace injury. However, you should take some extra steps of caution to help prevent these injuries in the first place.

Below are a few tips we think you’ll find useful for preventing five of the most common workplace injuries: slips, falls, overexertion, strain and being struck by objects.

Five tips for preventing workplace injuries

1. Preventing slips — Ensure that your work environment is clean of clutter, puddles, loose wires and other tripping hazards. Keep your eyes forward and don’t get distracted when walking anywhere in the workplace, or you could miss a hazard that may cause you to slip.

2. Preventing falls — You need to make sure your equipment is in order when you’re working up high. Check ladders for any compromises before climbing and always use proper safety equipment. Follow your company’s safety procedures and try to avoid climbing without a spotter.

3. Preventing overexertion — Frequently repeating the same activities like lifting heavy objects or typing all day can cause overexertion. Make sure you take frequent breaks to give your body some rest and try to get help from a coworker in situations that involve heavy lifting.

4. Preventing strain — Lifting heavy objects and twisting and bending can cause strains in your muscles and connective tissues. Avoid bending and twisting when picking up and carrying heavy objects.

5. Preventing being struck by objects — You’ll need to be careful to avoid falling objects if you work in environments with lots of objects stored in high places. Always wear a hardhat and avoid walking under shelves, ladders and heavy machinery.

Contact Whatcom Physical Therapy for workplace injury treatment

Even if you follow all of the steps above, you can still receive an injury in the workplace. When this happens, you’ll want the team at Whatcom Physical Therapy to have your back. Contact us today to talk about what we can do for you if you’ve been hurt at work.