Most Common Workplace Injuries Resulting From Accidents
These accidents can lead to a variety of different types of injuries. In addition to the injuries listed above as the most-common to result in time missed from work, other common injuries sustained in work-related accidents include:
- Back and Neck Injuries Bulging discs , whiplash, and other back and neck injuries are in a wide variety of work environments. They can result from all types of accidents, and they often result in periods away from work significantly longer than average.
- Bone Fractures and Dislocations Bone fractures also result in long-term absences for many workers. Dislocations, while generally less serious than fractures, also leave many workers in need of short-term disability benefits.
- Concussions and Other Traumatic Brain Injuries Concussions and other forms of TBI are more common than many people realize. You do not need to lose consciousness to suffer a concussion in fact, there are several symptoms besides unconsciousness that can be indicative of a brain injury that requires treatment, rest, and recovery.
How Eye Injuries Can Be Prevented
Always wear effective eye protection. OSHA standards require that employers provide workers with suitable eye protection. To be effective, the eyewear must be of the appropriate type for the hazard encountered and properly fitted. For example, the BLS survey showed that 94% of the injuries to workers wearing eye protection resulted from objects or chemicals going around or under the protector. Eye protective devices should allow for air to circulate between the eye and the lens. Only 13 workers injured while wearing eye protection reported breakage.
Nearly one-fifth of the injured workers with eye protection wore face shields or welding helmets. However, only six percent of the workers injured while wearing eye protection wore goggles, which generally offer better protection for the eyes. Best protection is afforded when goggles are worn with face shields.
Better training and education is also recommended. BLS reported that most workers were hurt while doing their regular jobs. Workers injured while not wearing protective eyewear most often said they believed it was not required by the situation. Even though the vast majority of employers furnished eye protection at no cost to employees, about 40% of the workers received no information on where and what kind of eyewear should be used.
Can Contact Lenses Be Worn Safely For Industrial Jobs
Contact lenses can’t provide significant protection from eye hazards in the workplace. However, there is no evidence that wearing contact lenses increases the risk of eye injury.
Contact lenses may actually increase worker safety and productivity because they often provide improved vision in the workplace. Individuals who wear contact lenses usually have a wider field of vision than with eyeglasses. They also often have less visual distortion, especially with higher power lens prescriptions. In addition, wearing contact lenses instead of eyeglasses can improve the fit and comfort of eye safety equipment, such as goggles and full-face respirators.
The American Optometric Association believes workers should be permitted to wear contact lenses in most eye-hazardous environments. However, these workers must wear eye protection over contact lenses according to the requirements for all workers performing the same job.
In some cases, such as when hazardous chemical fumes are present, the safety of contact lenses may need to be determined on a case-by-case basis. Check your employer’s safety policy regarding the wearing of contact lenses. Your doctor of optometry can help your employer and you determine whether you can safely wear contact lenses in your workplace.
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What Can Workers Do To Prevent Eye Injury And Disease
Wear personal protective eyewear, such as goggles, face shields, safety glasses, or full face respirators.
The eye protection chosen for specific work situations depends upon the nature and extent of the hazard, the circumstances of exposure, other protective equipment used, and personal vision needs. Eye protection should be fit to an individual or adjustable to provide appropriate coverage. It should be comfortable and allow for sufficient peripheral vision.
Most Common Workplace Injuries: By Body Part
So far weve covered many of the most common types of workplace injuriesas well as the most common causes of those injuries. Now, lets talk about the most common workplace injuries by body part. According to the NSC, the three body parts most-commonly injured in job-related accidents are:
Notably, however, workers who suffer shoulder injuries are likely to miss the most amount of time from work. The NSC reports that the median number of days missed for shoulder injuries is 28. Wrist injuries are next with a median of 15 days missed from work, followed by ankle injuries , foot injuries , back injuries and head injuries .
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How Do Workers Acquire Eye Diseases
Eye diseases are often transmitted through the mucous membranes of the eye as a result of direct exposure to things like blood splashes, and droplets from coughing or sneezing or from touching the eyes with a contaminated finger or object. Eye diseases can result in minor reddening or soreness of the eye or in a life threatening disease such as HIV, hepatitis B virus, or avian influenza.
Occupational Safety And Health Administration
Overview
Thousands of people are blinded each year from work-related eye injuries that could have been prevented with the proper selection and use of eye and face protection.
OSHA requires employers to ensure the safety of all employees in the work environment. Eye and face protection must be provided whenever necessary to protect against chemical, environmental, radiological or mechanical irritants and hazards.
Standards
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Types Of Eye Injuries
STRIKING, SCRAPING, OR PENETRATION
The majority of eye injuries result from small particles or objects striking or scraping the eye. They are often ejected by tools, windblown, or fall from above the worker. In addition, objects can go through the eyeball and result in a permanent loss of vision.
- harmful light radiation
EYE DISEASE
Often transmitted through the mucous membranes of the eye as a result of direct exposure to things like:
- bloodborne pathogens from blood, bodily fluids, and human remains
- droplets from coughing or sneezing
- touching the eyes with a contaminated finger or object
Personal Protective Equipment
If you are working with chemicals, you should wear goggles. If you are working near hazardous radiation , you must use special-purpose safety glasses, goggles, face shields, or helmets designed for that task.
EYE STRAIN
Eye strain is a major job-related issue. This problem is exacerbated by:
- inadequate lighting
- Consider computer eyewear
- Position your computer monitor 25 inches away.
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, take a break by looking at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
- Reduce glare on your cell phone, computer, or digital device.
- Adjust environmental lighting near your workstation.
Workplace Injury Demographic Statistics
#23. In 2019, less than half of injured employees at the workplace missed work due to illness or injury.
The Department of Labor report shows that only 888,220 of the 2.8 million injured workers in 2019 missed work due to illness or injury. According to the data, 9 people per 100 workers in Americas private sector were injured at the workplace and missed a minimum of one day of work.
#24. On average, workers injured at the workplace typically miss eight days of work.
In 2019, eight days was the average time people were absent from work due to on-the-job injury or accident at the workplace. However, some industries recorded more time off work from work than the average time due to workplace injuries.
For example, in 2019, workplace injuries caused tractor and heavy-trailer truck drivers to miss an average of around 19 days of work, while light truck drivers missed an average of 20 days of employment. Also, the maintenance and material movers, freight, stock, and repairs workers miss an average of nearly 12 days of work.
#25. Delaware, Georgia, and Arkansas are the top three least dangerous states. Their workplace injury rates are lower than the national average.
#26. Texas and California had the highest number of workplace deaths in 2019 compared to other states in the US.
#27. 21.3% of people who missed work in 2019 due to injuries at the workplace were between 25 to 34 years of age.
#28. Men are 17.3% more likely to be injured at work than women.
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Common Reasons Safety Eyewear Isn’t Being Worn:
It’s unwearable.
Cheaply made safety eyewear becomes more of a distraction than a means of protection. Pressure, pinching and slipping points create an ergonomic nightmare for workers, and protective eyewear ends up on top of workers’ heads or in their pockets instead of over their eyes.
It’s “unnecessary.”
Despite decades of reported eye injury experiences and how to prevent them, human ignorance and resistance are still big problems. Many workers think of eye protection as unnecessary and choose to not wear their required eye protection.
It’s fogging.
In a recent study with manufacturing, construction, service, and retail workers, 100% of participants reported fogging as a major factor for not wearing their PPE on the job. They can’t see with the fogged-up eyewear, so naturally, they take them off. In the same study, 55% said that if their safety eyewear had working anti-fogging technology, they’d comply with wearing it.
It’s uncool.
Let’s face it, safety eyewear doesn’t always have the most glamorous look. Everyone likes to wear things they feel good in, so it’s no surprise that safety eyewear falls to the wayside for some.
Remember, the best eye protection is the protection that’s worn. And it’s not just about protecting your eyes, it’s about protecting your most critical sense your sight.
Choose The Right Eye Protection For You
The best option for you will depend on your situation, whether its glasses with side shields, specialized eye protection for your specific needs, or safety goggles that fit over your regular glasses. Whatever you choose to wear, youll greatly minimize your chances of experiencing a workplace eye injury.
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Visual Disability Of Americans By State
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 24 million non-institutionalized males or females of all ages, races, and ethnicities who had a visual impairment in the United States. California, Texas and Florida have the most people with a visual disability. While Vermont, North Dakota, and Wyoming have the lowest number of people with a visual disability.
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How Can I Protect My Eyes From Injury
There are four things you can do to protect your eyes from injury:
Selection of protective eyewear appropriate for a given task should be made based on a hazard assessment of each activity. Types of eye protection include:
Safety glasses must fit properly to provide adequate protection. Also, eye protection devices must be properly maintained. Scratched and dirty devices reduce vision, cause glare and may contribute to accidents.
Combined with machine guards, screened or divided work stations, and other engineering controls, using the correct protective eyewear can help keep you safe from any type of eye hazard.
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Where To Accidents Occur Most Often
Accidents most commonly occur on construction sites, involving industrial equipment. Potentially eye hazards can be found in nearly every industry, but BLS reported that more than 40% of injuries studied occurred among craft workers like mechanics, repairers, carpenters, and plumbers. Over a third of the injured workers were operatives, such as assemblers, sanders, and grinding machine operators. Laborers suffered about one-fifth of the eye injuries. Almost half the injured workers were employed in manufacturing slightly more than 20% were in construction, and the rest were in carpentry, plumbing, and the like.
Storage And Easy Access
If your safety glasses are easily accessible, youre more likely to wear them. You wont have to think about it. Grabbing them and putting them on will become automatic.
Depending on your workplace layout, you may already have a tabletop safety glasses holder or a wall-mounted safety glasses holder. When youre done for the day, always return your eyewear to the same location.
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Workplace Injury Illness And Fatality Statistics * Source
Injury/Illness Incidence Rates
- BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1992-Present
BLS
* Source material, data, and tables are provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor, and OSHA’s Area Offices. OSHA-specific statistics on data and time-series information is monitored through the OSHA Office of Statistics fatalities in Federal states are compiled by the OSHA Directorate of Enforcement Programs and fatalities in State Plan states are compiled by the OSHA Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs. Information contained on this site which is specific to OSHA-related labor statistics can be answered through OSHA. All other labor statistics questions and or comments should be addressed through the Bureau of Labor Statistics .
What Causes Eye Injuries
- Flying particles are the most common cause. BLS found that almost 70% of the accident studied resulted from flying or falling objects or sparks striking the eye. Injured workers estimated that nearly three-fifths of the objects were smaller than a pinhead. Most of the particles were said to be traveling faster than a hand-thrown object when the accident occurred.
- Contact with chemicals caused one-fifth of the injuries. Other accidents were caused by objects swinging from a fixed or attached position, like tree limbs, ropes, chains, or tools which were pulled into the eye while the worker was using them.
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Most Common Workplace Accidents Resulting In Time Missed From Work
Not surprisingly, the most common workplace injuries correlate to some of the most-common workplace accidents. According to the NSC, the three most-common accident types resulting in time missed from work are:
- Overexertion In this category, the NSC includes lifting, lowering, bending, and repetitive stress.
- Contact with objects and equipment This includes being struct by, caught or compressed between, or crushed by machinery, falling objects, and collapsing structures and equipment.
- Slips, trips, and falls Falls can cause a variety of types of traumatic injuries, whether they involve slipping on a wet floor or falling from height due to a ladder failure or faulty handrail.
Top Blindness & Eye Health Statistics:
- Some 1.3 million Americans age 40 and over are legally blind.
- 12 million people over age 40 have some form of visual damage.
- Cataracts afflict 24.4 million Americans age 40 and older.
- One in three people have Astigmatism
- Over 150 million Americans use glasses or corrective eyewear
- Only 50.3% of the U.S. adult population has vision insurance
- An estimated 4.88 million Americans age 50 and older have dry eyes
- Each year, over one million people visit doctors for an eye infection.
- About 2.4 million eye injuries occur in the US each year
- 6.8% of children under the age of 18 are diagnosed with an eye issue.
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Top Workplace Injury Statistics 202: Falls Trips And Slips
Workplace Injury Statistics: According to the ILO , approximately 2.3 million people worldwide die annually due to work-related injuries. That is 6,000 people per day!
There are several causes behind work-related illnesses or accidents: job-related risks, unsafe conditions, and human factors . Although poor working conditions are primarily to blamein third-world countries, for example, there is a lack of essential safety equipment and regulations, which increases the risk of work-related injury.
These three groups not only determine the rates of such accidents but also shape the work-related injury stats that we will be looking into in the article.
So what are the most severe threats? And what should we prioritize to keep ourselves safe? Lets get started:
Eye Injuries May Be More Common In The Workplace Than Youd Expect Consider That An Estimated 1000 Eye Injuries Occur Every Day In American Workplaces Add Up All The Lost Production Time Medical Expenses And Worker Compensation Claims And The Est
Eye injuries may be more common in the workplace than youd expect. Consider that an estimated 1,000 eye injuries occur every day in American workplaces. Add up all the lost production time, medical expenses and worker compensation claims, and the estimated cost of these injuries is as high as $300 million per year. Thats not exactly spare change, and it doesnt even begin to touch the pain and suffering of eye injuries and vision loss.
The first step to take toward reducing the number and severity of eye injuries requires identifying what causes them. In 1980 the Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted a study that looked closely at 1,000 minor eye injuries. Seventy percent of the accidents were caused by flying or falling objects or sparks and 20 percent were caused by contact with chemicals. But most importantly, the study concluded that nearly 3 out of 5 of injured workers were not wearing any eye protection at all.
A quarter of a century later, many American workplaces are still struggling to learn that first lesson of the BLS study, that eye injury prevention starts with wearing effective eye protection. Anyone working in or passing through an area where there are potential hazards to eyes should be wearing safety eyewear.
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Protecting Your Eyes At Work
Eye injuries in the workplace are very common. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that every day about 2,000 U.S. workers sustain job-related eye injuries that require medical treatment. However, safety experts and eye doctors believe the right eye protection can lessen the severity or even prevent 90% of these eye injuries.
Chemicals or foreign objects in the eye and scratches on the cornea are common eye injuries that occur at work. Other common eye injuries come from fluids splashed in the eye, burns from steam and ultraviolet or infrared radiation exposure.
In addition, health care workers, laboratory and janitorial staff, and other workers may be at risk of acquiring infectious diseases from eye exposure. Some infectious diseases can be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the eye. This can occur through direct contact with splashes of blood, respiratory droplets generated during coughing, or from touching the eyes with contaminated fingers or other objects.
Workers experience eye injuries on the job for two major reasons:
A Bureau of Labor Statistics survey of workers who suffered eye injuries revealed that nearly three out of five were not wearing eye protection at the time of the accident. These workers most often reported that they believed protection was not required for the situation.