According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top 10 causes of workplace injuries cover 85% of workplace injuries and cost $55.4 billion annually. The National Safety Council reports that every 7 seconds a worker is injured on the job — totaling 4,600,000 injuries a year.
Top 10 Causes of Workplace Injuries
- 25.7% – Injury Due to Overexertion Involving an Outside Source
Overexertion while lifting, pushing, pulling, turning, throwing, and catching. - 15.4% – Injury Due to Falls on the Same Level
Fall on the same level while climbing stairs or steps, fall on the same level due to uneven surface, fall on the same level due to object, fall to the same level due to tripping over self. - 10.1% – Injury Due to Being Struck by an Object or Equipment
Being struck by a non-transport powered vehicle, struck by rolling object or equipment, struck by falling object or equipment, struck by a discharged or flying object, injured by handheld object or equipment, injured by object breaking in hand, injured by slipping or swinging object held by an injured worker or another worker. - 8.9% – Injury Due to Falls to a Lower Level
Fall from a collapsing structure, equipment, or ladder. Falling through the surface, or another type of fall to a lower level. - 7.6% – Injury Due to Other Exertions or Bodily Reactions
Injury while bending, crawling, reaching, twisting, climbing, stepping, kneeling, sitting, standing, walking, running, boarding, or alighting. - 4.3% – Workplace Violence and Animal-Related Injuries
In certain fields, such as package delivery or mail delivery, animal bites occur frequently. Animal training, ranching, farming, and animal veterinarians also are at risk for animal-related injuries. Additionally, there are occurrences of spousal, employee (or former employee), and individual with vendettas showing up and causing injuries and well as sabotage. - 3.8% – Injury Due to a Slip or Trip Without a Fall
Slip-on a substance without a fall, trip on an uneven surface without fall, trip over self without fall. - 3.5% – Injury Due to Repetitive Motions Involving Micro-Tasks
Typing, key entry, texting, mousing, repetitive use of tools and equipment, repetitive grasping, placing, or moving objects. - 2.9% – Injury Due to Being Struck Against Object or Equipment
Bumping into objects, stepping on objects, kicking objects, being pushed or thrown into or against objects, struck against stationary object or equipment while rising. - 2.8% – Injury Due to Being Caught In/Compressed by Equipment or Objects
Caught in running equipment or machinery, compressed or pinched by shifting objects, entangled in other objects or equipment.
This list from the Bureau of Labor covers a wide variety of injuries, some of which are due to employee error and some are due to conditions and workplace hazards. There are steps you can take to protect yourself and avoid injury.
- Store heavy objects close to the floor
- Use proper posture when sitting at your desk
- Proper placement of computer monitor and keyboard
- Avoid bending and twisting at the same time when lifting
- Wear proper protective gear
- Make sure ladders are securely placed before climbing
- Get a good night’s sleep so you are alert
- Be aware of what is happening around you
- Immediately report all equipment problems, wear and tear
Recovery From Workplace Injuries
The National Safety Council reports that the most common types of injuries that cause workers to miss work are:
- Sprains, strains or tears
- Soreness or pain
- Cuts, lacerations or punctures
Dr. Andy Lombardozzi is skilled in both chiropractic adjustments and the Graston Technique. These 2 skills complement each other well since chiropractic deals with joint alignment, range of motion, and nerve pain while the Graston Technique deals with soft tissue injuries such as sprains, strains, scar tissue, mobility and range of motion. Together they help speed recovery and get you back to work.
When injuries are left untreated, scar tissue will restrict your range of motion, you will experience pain, the joints — particularly in the spine — will not be moving correctly, which will lead to deterioration and osteoarthritis. If the injury is in the neck area, headaches will become more frequent. While pain medications may appear to give initial relief from pain, they do not correct the source of the problem.
Dr. Lombardozzi will locate the source of your injury and any problems it has caused, develop a treatment protocol to correct the problem, restore your mobility, and eliminate your pain. Contact his office at (804) 740-3434 to set an appointment or use the convenient appointment form on this page. If you found this article to be helpful, please share it with friends and family who may be dealing with pain and injuries.