Work injuries only apply to those whose jobs involve dangerous situations and highly physically active tasks. If you work in an office setting, an injury will never happen to you, so there’s nothing to worry about. End of story, thanks for reading.
The above statement couldn’t be further from the truth.
While sitting at a desk in an office isn’t exactly training tigers, painting the top of a suspension bridge, or performing highway construction while thousands of cars wiz by you at 70 mph from two feet away, it’s a fact that many accidents and injuries occur in offices every day. Maybe the ones that happen there aren’t as glorified sounding as, say, what the tiger trainer will experience, but an injury is an injury, and at the end of the day nothing about ANY of them is glorious.
Regardless of where your injury occurs, if it happens on the job, you’re entitled to compensation for the bills. It’s as simple as that.
As a premier Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyer, I want to take a look at some common office place injuries together:
Tripping, Slipping and Falling
Oops. Surprisingly, it turns out that office workers are about two times more likely to fall on the job than those who work in a different environment. Some typical catalysts of trips, slips and/or falls in an office are:
- Open desk drawers
- Loose extension cords, cables, etc.
- Wet floors
Developing Musculoskeletal Issues
Or in more plain speak, developing problems in the parts of your body that contribute to movement—like muscles, bones and joints. Whereas a trip is a one-off accident, musculoskeletal issues develop over time, and can creep up on you. A few common occurrences include:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Muscle strains
- Tendon injuries
Fires
Almost 40 people die in office fires in the United States every year, and while that might not sound like a lot, the number of related non-fatal injuries which occur in that type of situation are much higher. There are a few things you can do to optimize fire prevention in your office, and make sure it’s best suited to handle the heat in the unfortunate event that one is set:
- Minimize fire hazards. Replace old cords; remember that extension cables are NOT intended to be used permanently.
- Keep a close watch on space heaters
- Make sure your smoke detectors are working
- Make sure fire escapes/points of exit are clear
Beyond fire prevention, there are also ways to help reduce the chance of tripping and developing skeletomuscular conditions. Close your desk drawers when you’re finished using them. Don’t use a rolling chair as a ladder. Optimize your desk’s efficiency, so you aren’t straining your joints and hands too much. Use common sense, and form good habits in the workplace. However, if you do suffer from an unfortunate accident in your office, feel free to give the experienced Atlanta workers’ comp lawyers a call for more information and a complimentary consultation—that’s us!
The post Close That Desk Drawer! The Facts About Office Injuries appeared first on The Law Offices of Darwin F. Johnson.