You may not think many injuries occur in an office environment. But you would be wrong.
Here are four of the most common injuries that office workers experience.
1. Injuries from Falls
According to the Center for Disease Control, falls are the most common accidents that occur in offices in the United States.
In fact, people who work in an office are up to 2.5 times more likely to experience an injury from a fall in comparison to non-office workers.
Falls at the office are most commonly caused by slipping on wet floors, tripping on things like electrical cords and loose carpets, having poor visibility due to insufficient lighting, using chairs instead of ladders, and reaching for things when sitting in unstable chairs.
When people suffer injuries from falls at the workplace that are due to another’s negligence, they can at least gain compensation to cover things like medical bills and loss of earnings.
For instance, if you are in Tampa, Florida, you can contact the Tampa Personal Injury lawyers Lucas and Magazine to find out what your options are and make a claim.
But if you remain vigilant at the office and are always aware of potential hazards that could cause falls, you can avoid becoming injured in the first place.
2. Bumps and Bruises
There are more hazards at the office than you probably think. You could bump into desks and injure your hip, stub your toe on a copy machine, bruise yourself on a filing cabinet, get your fingers caught in a drawer, or get hit by someone throwing an item of stationery to a colleague.
By following health and safety procedures, most of those types of accidents and injuries can be avoided. For instance, nothing should be thrown in an office space and items should be put away where they belong after use.
But to ensure you do not get bumps, bruises, or more serious injuries at the office, stay alert at all times.
3. Neck, Back, and Shoulder Injuries
While most people these days remember to keep their backs straight and their knees bent when lifting heavy objects, too many people forget to be careful when lifting small loads.
In an office environment, workers commonly lift things like stacks of files, reams of paper, and equipment like computer monitors. But when the items are too heavy or are lifted incorrectly, it can lead to injuries. Most commonly, incorrect lifting leads to neck, back, and shoulder injuries.
So, if you work in an office, make sure anything you intend to lift is not too heavy and ensure you lift it in the right way.
In addition to bending your knees and keeping your back straight, you should pick up objects with your entire hand, not just your fingers, and hold the load close to your body. You should also refrain from twisting your body.
4. Musculoskeletal Problems
Office workers sit at desks for most of the day. When they do that for long periods of time, workstations can end up not fitting office workers’ bodies correctly.
For example, workers’ chairs may not properly support their backs, computer screens could be too high or low, and workers’ wrists could be at an uncomfortable angle for typing.
Such things can cause musculoskeletal problems in the neck, shoulder, and back.
Workstations that are not correctly configured for an individual worker’s body can also cause poor posture, eyestrain, and even carpal tunnel syndrome.
If you work at a desk, your elbow should be ninety degrees to the workstation and your computer monitor should be at eye level. That will help to prevent musculoskeletal problems. You should also regularly look away from the screen and take breaks to stretch and walk around.