Accidents In The Workplace
Avoiding Accidents In The Workplace Is Everybody's Business
Most accidents in the workplace can be avoided. Even the occasional "freak" accidents can sometimes be avoided. Few workplace accidents fall in this latter category (we won't concern ourselves with "Acts of God" here). Most accidents occur as the result of inattention or negligence, either on the part of the victim, or on the part of another individual. If you slip on a wet spot because you failed to watch where you were walking you might be partially to blame for your misfortune. If someone else either caused or observed the wet spot and neglected to report it or wipe it up, part of the blame is theirs. If the wet spot was caused by a faulty piece of equipment which had not been maintained properly, then the finger of blame can be pointed at someone else. But if you're lying on your back in pain, who's to blame is not the primary issue at the moment.
The point is, prevention of accidents in the workplace is everybody's business. Programs are put in place, not only to help someone avoid a wet spot (warning sign), but also to ensure that the wet spot is promptly cleaned up (safety procedure), or doesn't occur in the first place (maintenance procedure).
Although most accidents are thought to occur on the factory floor, the office is not immune. Tripping on rugs or electrical cords, slipping on spills, even walking into an open file cabinet drawer can happen. On the factory floor, the worker is apt to be more cautions, and probably should be, because of heavy machinery, goods being transported around, and the constant presence of electrical equipment, chemicals, or radioactive materials. Few if any of these conditions are present in the office place.
The greatest danger in the office workplace may well be complacency. Day in and day out, things remain pretty much the same. There is not a stock of inventory items in a spot where there was nothing the day before. There are no pieces of rotating machinery to avoid (except the occasional electric fan, which usually has a protective screen). In fact, the thought of running into an open file cabinet drawer is not all that far fetched, especially if you've rounded a corner a thousand times before, when the drawer has been closed.
But slips and falls in the office area do happen. Injuries however, are seldom as severe as those suffered on the factory floor. Still, a workplace accident avoidance program is essential in both environments. The existence of such a program, when followed, not only provides an added level of safety and security for the worker but can also help spare the company the burden of lawsuits and lost time, and higher health insurance premiums.
Most businesses today do a credible job of instituting programs to eliminate accidents in the workplace, especially with agencies such as OSHA breathing down their necks. Small businesses generally do not do quite as well, unless operating under enlightened ownership. As an employee you can do your part, whether it be actively promoting one or more aspects of an accident prevention program, or simply by helping avoid workplace accidents through your own good housekeeping habits.