Typically, offices aren’t’ considered dangerous places to work. When we think of work injuries, we often imagine places like construction sites, laboratories with dangerous chemicals, and so on.
However, any activity has an inherent risk of danger attached. In theory, just walking down the sidewalk means avoiding obstructions and looking out for cars, dogs, and other people. Therefore, office work poses threats just as any other job would.
Here are some common injuries that occur among office workers.
- Falling Injuries
Just walking from place to place, we often take our safety for granted. In an office environment, people tend to travel while looking at papers or turning to talk to coworkers.
Busy office buildings can place any number of dangers in your path. There could be errant paper or spills in your way, causing you to slip and fall, seriously hurting yourself.
- Impact Injuries
Again, it’s simple to forget to look where you’re going in an office, and you aren’t alone in this oversight. People may bustle around, making it easy to slam into one another. You could also make hard contact with open file cabinets, desks, chairs, and so on.
- Lifting Injuries
Generally, we don’t associate office work with heavy lifting. However, workers are often asked to move boxes or shift around other heavy objects.
Office workers are not warehouse workers. They are generally not trained in proper lifting, and they may not be physically conditioned for the task. Simply moving a box of copier paper could lead to back problems, hernias, strained muscles, and more.
- Musculoskeletal Injuries
Musculoskeletal injuries are often called “repetitive motion injuries.” They happen when someone repeats the same motions over and over, wearing down either their muscles, skeletal structure, or both.
Almost all jobs are susceptible to repetitive motion injuries. Office workers tend to suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, usually from typing. This injury can create tingling, numbness, or shooting pains throughout the arms and hands.
Office work tends to be sedentary, which can put a strain on the back and hips.
- Workplace Violence
Any work environment can get tense, and office workers are not immune to this fact. According to a recent study, about 1% of all workers experience workplace violence. Some speculate that office workers could be more prone to outbursts. These employees don’t often get a chance to exercise or burn off their excess energy during the workday, which could lead to a buildup of aggression.
Getting Help from an Attorney
If you’ve been hurt at work, you should file for worker’s compensation. An attorney can help you gather the appropriate documentation, and they can also assist with the request itself. They can help you phrase everything in a way that will better ensure that you receive your benefits. If you are denied, your lawyer can also help with an appeal, building a strong argument for you.
When necessary, your attorney can also help you file a lawsuit against a negligent employer.
Our firm is here to help protect workers who have been hurt on the job. For a free consultation, call us at (916) 571-1550 or contact us online.
