But the thing to remember is that avoiding injury isn’t about being afraid of your job, it’s about being a bit more aware of how you work, how your environment works, and how to keep yourself and your team moving safely from one day to the next. With that in mind, keep reading to find out more about how to avoid common workplace injuries.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko

Pay Attention To The Little Things 

The problem is that a workplace injury usually starts with something small, like an uneven floor tile, a box left in a corridor, or perhaps a cable stretched too far because the socket is in an awkward place. And one moment of not paying attention or a rushed decision, and suddenly you’ve been hurt. 

One of the easiest ways to prevent workplace injuries is to deal with these little hazards as soon as you spot them, and that way they’ll never get to the point of being a bigger problem. It might feel like an unnecessary thing to do, especially when you’re busy, but the few seconds it takes to fix something can save hours of pain and paperwork later. 

Move The Right Way

Muscle strains and repetitive strain injuries are a problem because they don’t usually happen at one time - instead, they build up slowly because of things like poor posture, heavy lifting without the proper support or technique, or just doing the same thing in the same way every day without thinking about whether it could be hurting you or not. 

So that’s why, whether you’re standing all day, sitting for hours on end, or doing manual tasks, good form really matters. You’ve got to make sure your workspace encourages healthy movement, and you need to stretch, shift, and take short breaks if you can. It’s really going to help you and it can prevent nastier injuries in the future. 

Speak Up

If something doesn’t look or feel safe, it’s best to say something as soon as possible. That goes for equipment, processes, or even the pace of work and what you’re asked to do with the tools provided. It might be hard to do it, but the point is that everyone is going to benefit when you do, and the more people speak up, the better the overall safety of the workplace is going to be. 

And if something does go wrong, it’s important to know your rights and get support. If you’re ever unsure about what steps to take, it’s wise to speak with a work injury lawyer - they’ll be able to help you understand your options and make sure you’re totally protected.