Preventing Accidents at Work
Preventing Accidents at Work
There are a variety of unexpected events that can occur at work. Construction sites are particularly dangerous but slip and fall injuries can happen any place anytime. Here is some important information on preventing accidents at work. If you have been injured on the job, please contact our experienced Lowell workers’ comp attorneys today.
Preventing Accidents at Work | Types of Workplace Accidents
If there is the potential for a work-related accident, then it’s probably happened, at least once. However, some accidents tend to occur more often than others. Below is a list of some of the more common types of accidents seen in Massachusetts.
- Slip and fall
- Falls from a raised elevation (like a fall from a ladder or rooftop)
- Motor vehicle accident
- Exposure to harmful chemicals
- Explosion
- Building or structural collapse
- Fire
- Falling objects
- Electrocution
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Preventing Accidents at Work | Common Causes of Workplace Accidents
An accident that takes place at work can have any number of causes, many of which are the result of someone not paying attention. Most workplace accidents are usually caused by one or more of the following:
- Carelessness or negligence
- Intentional misconduct, such as horseplay or bullying
- Repetitive physical motion
- Failure to following safety rules or regulations
- Nonexistent safety rules or regulations
- Lifting or moving a large or heavy object
- Malfunction of equipment or tools
- Improper use of equipment or tools
- Failure of safety mechanisms
- Bad weather
Preventing Accidents at Work | Preventative Measures
When it comes to accidents that take place at work, the good news is that the majority of them are preventable. But the bad news is also that the majority of them are preventable. The trick is being able to anticipate the potential for an accident and being willing to take steps to prevent it.
While there’s no guaranteed way to prevent all workplace accidents, there are several things workers can do to reduce their chance of getting involved in an accident, such as:
- Following all safety rules and regulations
- Reporting a violation of a safety rule or regulation
- Identifying instances of where the modification or creation of a safety rule can address a specific risk at work
- Staying healthy; being in poor health has the potential of making a worker more likely to become involved in an accident
- Be knowledgeable about workplace safety; workers who don’t know the safety rules are not likely to follow them
If you’ve been in an accident at work, it might be a good idea to speak with an experienced Lowell workers’ compensation attorney. This doesn’t mean you have to hire one, but a brief consultation can confirm what your legal rights are and if your employer is doing everything it can to help you prevent the accident from ever happening again. Contact our office today.