Most Common Workplace Injuries to Look Out for During the Fall

Workplace injuries are common year- round, and autumn is no exception. They can result from slip, trip, and falls; injuries that occur while driving for work; working at a construction site; or any number of other scenarios. Workplace injuries not only cause health concerns for the injured employee but also result in lost wages. 

Here are the most common workplace injuries in Fall as well as some tips on how to avoid them. In any case, if you have suffered a workplace injury, you also need to ensure your rights are protected and you get the care and compensation you deserve. Attorney Brandon Stein and the professional legal team at SteinLaw can help.

Common Workplace Injuries

Workers compensation injuries occur every year in the United States, millions of them, in fact, and most are covered by workers’ compensation insurance. The same is true for Florida, where like other states, employers must provide workers’ compensation insurance to cover workplace injuries and illnesses and provide benefits to employees. Remember, the first step if you suffer any of these injuries at work is reporting the incident to your employer as soon as possible, after you get the medical attention you need. 

Here are some common workplace injuries to look out for during the fall:

• Stains, Sprains, and Soft Tissue Injuries – Strains, sprains, and soft tissue injuries like tears to tendons, muscles, and disks are common workplace injuries. Some are minor, only requiring rest and a bit of physical therapy, while at other times, these injuries can result in permanent damage. These injuries can come as a result of repetitive motion and are referred to as RSIs (repetitive stress injuries). Another common type of soft tissue injury comes from overextension, such as pushing, pulling, gripping, lifting, or carrying, which can cause sprains or even tears in muscles, tendons, or ligaments. Both overextension and RSIs are costly, resulting in potentially debilitating injuries, as well as the loss of wages. Avoiding these injuries means added workplace safety, breaks as needed, and solutions to provide injury prevention like mechanical equipment to help with the jobs and protect employees. 
• Work-related Vehicle Accidents – Traffic accidents often result in work-related injuries for those driving as a part of their daily job responsibilities. This, of course, does not include accidents during commuting to and from work, but driving as part of the job like deliveries, errands, or other accidents, even when using your personal vehicle. These types of accidents occur not only while driving but could be the result of being struck by a vehicle on the job or an object falling from a vehicle or being injured from an overturned vehicle. 
• Slip, Trip, and Fall Injuries – Among the most common of workplace injuries are slips, trips, and falls. These incidents can occur in any workplace and result in broken bones, abrasions, torn ligaments, sprained muscles, concussions, and other head and spinal cord injuries. Slip, trip, and fall workplace injuries can be caused by spills as well as debris, poor lighting, uncovered cables, poorly maintained worksites, equipment, damaged flooring, weather hazards, uneven walking surfaces. Injuries also include falling down staircases, from roofs, off scaffolding, from ladders, or off equipment or lifts. Often slip, trip, and fall injuries could be prevented in the workplace by keeping debris and clutter cleaned up, providing quality walkways, and ensuring employees wear proper footwear. 
• Machinery Accidents and Falling Objects Injuries – When machinery is involved, accidents happen. If machinery is malfunctioning, the chance for injury is greater and may include injuries like burns or amputations. In addition, flying or falling objects can cause neck, head, face, and feet injuries while being struck by moving machinery is another common cause of workplace injury. Mechanical hazards can be prevented with proper operator training as well as preventative maintenance of equipment. In addition, protective clothing, like safety goggles, hard hats,  and steel toe shoes should be provided to employees using the equipment. 

If You Have Been Injured in the Workplace Contact SteinLaw

If you have been injured in the workplace, it is imperative after you get the needed medical treatment that you report the injury as soon as possible to your employer and file a workers’ compensation claim. 

Your injury can affect your ability to work and means lost wages as well as costly medical treatments. Workers’ compensation promises benefits for you including lost wages, medical expenses, and even job training and education should you be unable to return to your former position.