Tips for Preventing Workplace Injuries

You spend a large portion of your day at work, and while you may do your best to stay healthy and safe, accidents happen. Workplace injuries are common, affecting millions of people every year.

Orthopedic and pain management physicians Dr. Ojedapo Ojeyemi and Dr. Matthew Roh treat many conditions at Orthopedic & Wellness in Frederick, Waldorf, and Germantown, Maryland, that result from workplace injuries. These include back pain, neck pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Workplace injuries affect both the worker and the business. Taking steps to reduce injuries is the best way to keep everyone safe and healthy. Here, we share some tips for preventing workplace injuries.

Provide safety and wellness training

The best way to prevent workplace injuries is through education. Your employees need to know the potential hazards of their job or workplace. They also need to know the protocols you have in place to keep them safe. 

Providing your employees with the information they need to stay healthy at work is an important part of maintaining a safe workplace and preventing workplace injuries.

Have mandatory pre-employment physicals

Workplace injuries may happen if your employee isn’t physically able to perform the tasks of a job. A mandatory pre-employment physical exam can identify potential health risks of a future employee so you can take steps to protect them and their co-workers. 

A pre-employment physical can also help you place employees in positions that best suit their physical abilities. 

Create a safe work environment

Slips, trips, and falls are common causes of workplace injuries. A safe work environment is clean and orderly and designed to prevent these types of injuries. 

You need a workplace layout that allows people to move around without risk of tripping, slipping, or falling. This means keeping walkway areas open and free of debris. 

You also need to know your workplace hazards and set up safety standards and training — for example, regular inspections and maintenance of workplace equipment and vehicles to make sure they’re in good working order. Faulty equipment can lead to serious workplace injuries.

Use personal protective equipment (PPE)

You need to provide your employees with the equipment they need to protect themselves from harm, such as goggles, gloves, or a hard hat. You also need to teach your employees proper lifting techniques to prevent back injuries and provide an ergonomic environment that reduces risk of overuse injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow.

You can’t prevent all workplace injuries, but you can take steps to protect your employees so they stay healthy. Keeping your employees safe from injuries is good for business.

If you have concerns about a workplace injury, we can provide the expert care and advice you need. Call our office or book an appointment online to consult with our specialists today.