https://www.hoffmannworkcomp.com/blunt-trauma-injuries/Through the use of these ergonomic strategies, you can reduce your injury risk significantly.
Though the most famous types of workplace injuries are acute, like blunt force trauma, there are a significant amount of damages that take a long time to develop. A subcategory of these types of ailments is overuse injuries, which are the result of repetitive motions taking their toll on your body over time. The best way to avoid these injuries is by instilling smart ergonomic strategies. The definition of ergonomics is the study of workplace efficiency, but it is often applied to injury avoidance. Below, we explain the primary ways ergonomics prevent work injuries.
Improving the Workplace
While this responsibility is mostly up to your employer, you can have a hand in it too. If you see something that doesn’t look right, you can always talk to your supervisor and see if you can get it changed. The best case scenario is your employer will hire an ergonomics professional to observe your workplace and make engineering recommendations. One example of this could be an employer purchasing mechanical equipment to help with heavy lifting, rather than expecting employees to do it manually.
Administration
Again, administration changes are mainly up to your boss, but you can make suggestions based on your knowledge of workplace injuries. The following are some of the most common administrative tweaks a company can make.
Task Rotation – Rotating employee duties can reduce injuries in two ways. First, it stops employees from doing the same repetitive task over and over again, which can reduce long-term injury risk. Second, it keeps employees interested, which lessens the frequency of acute incidents.
Warming Up – Employers can encourage workers to warm up and stretch before the work day begins and after lunch breaks. If your company does not want to do this, you can do this by yourself or with a friend. Warming up will reduce injury risk in physical jobs.
Proper Lifting Techniques – Lifting with your back or while you are off balance is very dangerous. Instead, smart lifting techniques should be taught and utilized at your place of work.
Lifting As a Team – If one person cannot handle lifting something alone, they should speak up. Building a company culture where people help each other with lifting is best for everyone.
Self Care
There are two things you can do to take care of yourself. First, make sure you exercise and stay fit outside of work. These habits will pay dividends, as they will keep you safer while on the job. Second, you should regularly go to the doctor to make sure you aren’t developing any injuries.
We are living in the age of technology and innovation. This affects our lives from top to bottom, with one aspect being the science of the workplace. The study of this science is the backbone of ergonomics, and it is doing a lot to prevent injury around the country. Through the use of these ergonomic strategies, you can reduce your injury risk significantly. Still, you might get develop a workplace ailment. In this case, it is always best to consult a St. Louis work injury lawyer.