Common Injuries and How to Prevent Them

June is National Safety Month, a time to promote safety culture in and out of the workplace. Millions of preventable injuries occur annually, highlighting the need for continuous education and awareness of safety measures.

SBM is invested in our employees returning home safely to their families daily. Our associates are trained to capture potential safety and maintenance issues with our Good Catch and Report-It processes and can utilize our Stop the Job process anytime.

“Our EHS core processes are an integral part of our safety program,” says SBM’s Kristen Sanchez, VP, EHS. “They create the systems needed to keep our employees safe. The processes are established as part of our proactive approach to preventing injuries and incidents.”

To kick off National Safety Month, we’re highlighting four of the most common workplace injuries and providing tips to keep employees safe.

Slips, Trips, and Falls

Slips, trips, and falls rank among the top mishaps in work environments. These accidents often lead to injuries, which may disrupt an employee’s professional and personal life. Some of the top slip and fall hazards include wet floors, surface irregularities, and weather conditions.

However, slips, trips, and falls can be prevented. Ensure employees wear proper PPE, know their surroundings, and use equipment correctly. They should wear appropriate work shoes to prevent injuries and avoid walking across wet or uneven floors.?

Improper Lifting

Back-related injuries represent one-fifth of all workplace injuries, with 75 percent of these taking place during lifting activities. Approximately one million back injuries are reported in the workplace annually, with five percent developing into chronic, disabling pain.?

Back strains are most common in the morning or at the beginning of a work shift, so advise your teams to warm up their muscles before lifting. Train employees to keep a straight back while holding the load close to their bodies. If there’s any strain on the lower back or other joints, it’s crucial that they set down the load safely and notify their supervisor.

Struck-By Hazards

One of the leading causes of work-related deaths is contact with objects, including being struck against or by an object, caught in an object or equipment, or caught in collapsing material. According to Injury Facts, there have been about 700 workplace deaths due to these incidents every year for the past decade, and hundreds of thousands of injuries involve days away from work.

Inattention to surroundings and being distracted are top causes of struck-by hazards. Ensure employees understand the importance of awareness as they operate or work around heavy machinery. As an employer, you must provide proper education on job-specific hazards and conduct safety assessments.

Lacerations

Roughly 30 percent of occupational injuries involve cuts or lacerations, varying from minor scratches and puncture wounds to amputations. Many of these lacerations occur on the hands or fingers and are caused by improper training, a lack of established safety procedures, and failure to wear cut-resistant gloves.

The key to preventing these injuries is keeping body parts away from hazards. Employers should establish work procedures to identify and control measures to minimize the risk of cuts and lacerations. Train employees on how to use machines, wear PPE, and maintain proper machine guarding.?

National Safety Month serves as a reminder of the importance of workplace safety. Here at SBM, we are committed to our employees' well-being and invest in processes designed to prevent accidents. Together, let's ensure that safety is always at the forefront of our minds during National Safety Month and throughout the year.