While office jobs are some of the safest out there, white collar workers make up a significant portion of work injury claims.
The reason is that every workplace has its hazards, and offices are no different. Any worker that sustains damages can talk to a St. Louis work injury lawyer about recouping financial losses, but the best outcome is never getting injured at all. Below, we help you achieve this result by detailing some basic safety tips.
Remove Clutter
One of the most common injuries in the office setting is tripping and falling, and their most widespread cause is clutter on the floor. This concept makes a lot of sense, as most people aren’t going to fall for no reason. Instead, they only do so when an object blocks their path. What you can do to reduce these injuries is remove clutter from your office space. You should have storage areas open that can accommodate these supplies.
Use Stepping Stools
The second way office workers fall is by using improper tools to obtain items that are out of reach. The most common example is someone standing on top of a swiveling chair. While this behavior seems reasonable in the moment, it is actually quite unsafe. The simple adjustment you can make to your workplace is adding stepping stools to places, such as storage closets, where people often reach.
Stack Safely
Another storage-related issue is objects falling on top of people. This accident generally occurs in closets and other areas where workers stack things on top of each other. While this practice is acceptable if done correctly, it is a hazard in many situations. What you can do is make sure that these objects are entirely secure. If they aren’t, either redo the stack or purchase some equipment that will help with stability.
Close Drawers Completely
Have you ever seen a cartoon where a filing cabinet shoots out and hits somebody? While it might be funny in digital form, this event can be incredibly damaging in the real world. A cabinet that is left slightly ajar is an accident waiting to happen, especially if you live in an area that experiences earthquakes. Your best bet is closing them completely and urging your coworkers to do the same.
Invest in Ergonomic Equipment
Perhaps the most common of all white collar injuries are the ones associated with repetitive stress. A typical example is carpal tunnel, which often afflicts people that work at a computer all day. The best fix for these damages is investing in ergonomic equipment like highly adjustable chairs, special mousepads, and more.
One thing we realize is that many of these tweaks need to come from the top, rather than from an employee. What might surprise you, though, is how receptive management can be to safety requests. Nobody wants an accident in the workplace, so don’t be shy. Of course, your efforts might fail. If you end up getting injured for any reason, get in touch with an experienced workers compensation attorney.