There are many common accidents that happen time and time again in the workplace. Some of these accidents could easily be avoided with the right health and safety management.
It is important not to trivialise health and safety. Even minor accidents can result in injury or damage that could seriously affect workers and businesses. Employers have a responsibility to provide a safe and risk-free working environment. Employees themselves also have a responsibility to follow health and safety protocols and reduce the risk of hazards in the workplace. Together everyone can work to prevent accidents on construction sites and protect each other from injury and harm.
Common Accidents
There are many types of risks at work. These will vary according to different working environments. For example there will be different risks in an office environment compared to a busy factory floor. However some accidents are common across a wide range of working environments. Here are just a few of the most common accidents at work and steps you can take to prevent them happening in the future.
1. Falling from Heights
Throughout the working day many people are required to operate at heights. This may involve working at height on scaffolding or ladders and stepladders. This is a high risk area and is the single main cause of workplace fatalities in the UK. As many as fifty people die every year and many more are injured through accidents when working at heights.
It is essential that all staff required to work at heights have had the necessary health and safety training. This is an important way to educate staff and reduce risk. Providing the proper equipment is also important and this may include scaffolding rails, ladder supports and safety harnesses. You can find a number of online health and safety courses that deal with working at heights.
2. Falling Loads
Whenever you move any kind of load you need to make sure it is secure. This could be large loads on vans or lorries or smaller loads on trolleys or forklift trucks. Over 1200 people every year are injured in accidents involving unsecured loads. Businesses can also suffer from financial losses due to damaged goods and vehicles.
You do need to make sure all loads are fully secured before they are moved, even if they are only travelling short distances. Make sure your policy is clear on this issue and that all your staff understand the need to secure loads.
3. Slips and Trips
Many people take the attitude that if someone slips or trips over it is their own fault. There is a tendency to dismiss slips and trips as minor accidents that cannot really be avoided. However slips and trips are one of the most common accidents in the workplace and in many cases can be avoided. As many as four fatalities a year result from this type of accident and thousands of people are seriously injured as well. This does not only cause suffering for victims but can cost the UK economy millions of pounds through sick absences and lost working time.
A large percentage of slips and trips are preventable. They are commonly caused by a failure to tidy up clutter or clear up liquid spills. With a little more care and attention to health and safety in the workplace you could reduce the risk of slips and trips and protect your business and employees from these types of accidents.
Virtual online training and e-learning for health and safety can provide you with expert training for your workforce. This can help to reduce the risks of common accidents in the workplace and protect lives.