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Everyone remembers the school class clown – the person always getting into trouble, pulling pranks and being goofy. Harmless stuff, right? Maybe back then. If your workplace has a class clown who engages in horseplay, it’s no laughing matter.
A pinch point is “any point at which it is possible for a person or part of a person’s body to be caught between moving parts of a machine, or between the moving and stationary parts of a machine, or between material and any part of the machine,” states the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Woodworking machines – with their moving parts and sharp blades – can be extremely dangerous if not used correctly. Amputations, blindness and lacerations are common injuries related to working with these machines.
A roofing contractor forgoes fall protection because he finds it uncomfortable. Later that day, he slips and nearly falls off the roof of the two-story house he is working on.
Older drivers bring knowledge and experience to the workplace. By 2020, 25 percent of workers in the United States will be 55 or older. But this group is not without risk. According to NIOSH, motor vehicle crashes account for 32 percent of all work-related deaths among workers 55 or older.
Pressure washers are used to clean large areas, including buildings, parking lots, vehicles and other machinery. These high-powered tools also are used in disaster cleanup. But according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a pressure washer’s intense spray can cause wounds and other serious injuries that may at first appear minor.
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders – also referred to as repetitive motion or repetitive strain injuries – are a group of painful conditions that affect the muscles, tendons and nerves. According to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety, workers can develop an MSD from bending, gripping, straightening, holding, twisting, or reaching with their arms and hands.
A chain saw’s revving sound is unmistakable, and using one is “inherently hazardous,” according to OSHA. In fact, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that roughly 36,000 people are treated annually in emergency rooms for chain saw-related injuries.
Job-related foot pain and injuries can vary from mild, such as a blister caused by a work boot, to severe, such as the amputation of toes after a crushing injury.
Falls represent a serious hazard. In 2015, falls at home resulted in 21,100 deaths, according the 2017 edition of “Injury Facts,” a National Safety Council chartbook.
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