Most Common Workplace Accidents

There are many costs attached to injured workers such as sickness pay, the cost of replacing staff, possible compensation claims and the cost of a redesign. With all this in mind, it certainly makes sense to design your office to be as safe as it can be. But what are the most common workplace accidents?

Slips, Trips, And Falls

By far and away the most common workplace incident is the group of injuries categorized as slips, trips, and falls. The reasons why these are so common are numerous. Trailing wires, tight walkways, wet floors, and general debris are normally the cause and while the causation is always different there is a common theme throughout – almost all falls could have been avoided.

When designing your office you must ensure that staff have clear walkways and that the inevitable web of wires is well out of harm’s way.

Manual Labour Injuries

Most working in an office environment would describe their job as sedentary but there are times when a little manual labor is involved. It could be something as strenuous as an office move, or something that seems relatively innocuous such as lifting a box of paper or changing a water bottle. Each of these tasks carries significant risks, especially when involving people who aren’t used to manual labor.

Building  Woes

The third most common cause of workplace injuries is the workplace itself. While your company may be modern, forward thinking and cutting edge, it’s unlikely that you are housed in a brand new building. Injuries can come from anywhere be it a cut from a wayward nail, trapped fingers from a misbehaving door or a bump on the head from a falling window.

To avoid injuries caused by the design of a building, the best thing to do is to build your workplace so that any potential problem areas are avoided.