Last week this Chicago personal injury law blog discussed how falls at construction sites can cause serious injuries to construction workers. However, falls are a common way that other types of workers suffer harm as well. In office settings, falls are just one way that individuals can be involved in accident injury incidents.
According to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University, office workers suffer injurious falls in a number of ways. Some workers trip over drawers and other office furniture while others use inappropriate devices, such as chairs instead of ladders, to reach high items. Most falls can be prevented and employees should be instructed as to how to safely operate in their office environments.
In addition to falls, many office workers suffer injuries when they attempt to lift items that may be too heavy for them to handle. While some job descriptions require that certain workers be able to manage boxes of certain weights, even strong workers can suffer an injury when they do not lift with the proper technique. The failure of an employer to train a worker on safe lifting could result in that worker injuring himself.
Finally, office workers are also hurt when they are hit by objects in their workspaces. In some cases a workspace may be packed with too many pieces of furniture or equipment, causing an unsafe space where items could tip over. Falling objects can also harm office workers.
Office-based personal injury accidents are common. In many cases, such injuries can be prevented by careful planning and staying current on keeping employees trained and informed on how to stay safe in the office. However, when employers fail to manage the safety needs of their office workers, serious injuries can result.
