Even though the nature of business is strategizing to stay competitive and create a successful company, one goal that you probably have in common with your competitors is keeping your employees safe. As a workers comp lawyer in Wisconsin, I want to inform all business owners that, you should spend adequate resources on protecting your workers is critical.

Focusing resources on safety protocols may help to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your employees, as well as your ability to adhere to legal guidelines.

Violations can derail your success

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, there are many of the same citations they give out to companies each year including failure to have proper eyewear and face protection, poor respiratory protection, improper guarding of dangerous machinery and inadequate protection against falls.

Your awareness of these common citations can help you to implement sufficient guidelines to encourage adherence from your employees so they can stay safe. If you are visited by an official for an audit of your company and its practices and policies, you can have peace of mind with the knowledge that you have adequately addressed each of these “problem” areas.

Using training to combat risks

Developing informative training materials and providing educational instruction to your workers is arguably the most effective tool you can use to minimize their risk level. When your employees understand what dangers they are subject to and how to mitigate them with adherence to company guidelines, they may be incentivized to be vigilant and responsible. Additionally, proper training can prepare your employees to recognize discrepancies so they can properly report them to you before hazards turn into danger.

As a workers compensation attorney in Middleton, Wisconsin, I want to clear one thing that you may think that work injuries only happen in dangerous professions, but the reality is that accidents can happen in every profession. Office workers may see more injuries than other fields but often they do not amount to enough to make a workers’ compensation claim. However, there are still many potentially serious injuries you could face when working in an office environment. Fast Company explains that most office injuries are not those that appear right away but that happen over time. The cause is most often bad ergonomics and strain on the body, but accidents also can lead to office injuries.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

This condition affects the wrists and is usually a result of bad posture when typing. It also occurs due to overuse. It causes discomfort and pain in the wrists area. It may also lead to numbness and weakness. Carpal tunnel occurs when the median nerve has too much pressure on it. You can use exercise to help improve the condition. In some cases, you may require surgery.

Back pain

Sitting hunched over a computer can lead to chronic back pain. You can often relieve pain by adjusting your chair height or your desk height. You may also use stretching to help strengthen your back and supporting muscles.

Falls

Falls are common in all industries. In an office, loose papers on the floor, bad flooring or other debris in walkways can easily lead to a serious fall. Injuries can be minor bruises or serious bone breaks.

Eye strain

If you spend all day on a computer, then eye strain is a potential issue. It can lead to vision problems and headaches. You should take regular breaks and practice eye exercises to help relieve strain. You may also need physical therapy to help fix the issue.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common office injuries. Also known as median nerve compression, it is a condition with symptoms ranging from numbness weakness and tingling in the hands.

The median nerve goes through a passage in your wrist along the length of your arm until it ends at your hand. This nerve controls the movement and feeling in all your fingers and your thumb explains WebMD. It does not include the pinky.

Carpal tunnel syndrome causes

There are a few different causes for carpal tunnel syndrome, but one of the most common culprits happens to be repetitive motion at a job. For instance, if you work in an office and type all day or a grocery store where you move your wrist over and over, you are more likely to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. Another risk factor includes repetitive movements when your hands are positioned lower than your wrist.

Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms

If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, you may experience burning, itching or tingling in your thumb, palm or middle and index fingers. When you move your fingers, you may also experience shock-like feelings and a tingling that moves up your arm.

One of the first signs happens to be numbness in your hand at night due to how you fall asleep. You may wake up to numbness that tingles in your hands and then runs to your shoulder. These symptoms may flare up throughout the day, especially if you hold your wrist bent.

As the symptoms worsen, your hands may become weaker, you may lose grip strength and experience pain or muscle cramps.

Some of the most common injuries in places of work in Wisconsin are slips, trips and falls. Grainger states that approximately 25 percent of all yearly injury claims result from slip-and-fall accidents.

Such accidents do not just have the potential to interfere with people’s ability to work–they can be deadly. Slips, trips and falls are the second leading cause of death per year after motor vehicle accidents.

Common causes of slips, trips and falls

By identifying some of the common safety hazards that lead to these kinds of injuries, both employers and employees can take steps to reduce them. These include but are not limited to:

• Frost, snow and ice that has not been cleared away.
• Unsecured electrical cables or cords.
• Sloped walking surfaces.
• Freshly waxed or polished floors.
• Uneven walking surfaces.
• Floors with greasy or wet spills that haven’t been cleaned up.

Whenever one of these hazards is present at a place of work, it is prudent to take care of it as soon as possible. Beyond this, there are also some precautions that anyone working in the area can take.

Slip, trip and fall prevention

The University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point advises that people take their time when walking, as accidents tend to happen when in a rush. If the weather is very cold and there is some ice present, for example, a person should exit his or her vehicle slowly and carefully, holding onto his or her door for stability.

Wiping off boots and shoes on floor mats can remove slippery debris and oily residue. Wherever railings or stable objects to hold on to are available, people should make use of them.

If you facing serious work injury or illness due to slip, trip and fall at the workplace and you need compensation from your company, then our workers compensation attorneys are ready to help and protect your rights.

Many teens in the United States work gainfully to some degree. It is very common for teenagers to obtain summer seasonal jobs like landscaping. While these jobs can do a lot to help young persons develop job skills and gain experience, there is also always the potential for tragedy.

For example, OSHA estimates that between 60 and 70 teens die each year from job-related injuries. In order to lower these numbers, it is vital for employers to understand child labor laws and for teens to take special precautions around machinery at the workplace.

What child labor laws apply?

It is particularly important for employers to understand labor laws surrounding youth and machinery. For instance, federal child labor laws prevent individuals under the age of 18 from operating hoisting equipment like forklifts, circular saws that are power-driven or gullotine shears and driving a motor vehicle.

For individuals 15 years and younger the rules are even more strict. For instance, 14- and 15-year-old workers may not operate weed cutters, lawn trimmers or lawnmowers.

What can teens do to stay safe?

Teenage workers should be especially vigilant regarding their safety. For instance, teens should not use any equipment that they have not been specifically trained to use. Wearing earplugs or earmuffs in high noise areas can prevent audial injuries. Teens should also make sure that they have appropriate protective clothing for the job at hand. This could require wearing eye goggles or boots.

Teenage workers should also be fully aware of their rights as workers. Even though these workers may be below the age of the majority, many of the protections and rights are the same for minors as they are for legal adults. If you facing serious work injury or illness our workers’ compensation attorneys are ready to protect yours.