What Are The Most Common Workplace Injuries?

Introduction

Work hazards are among the biggest risks to a person’s wellbeing, with employment conditions often placing a person in greater danger than their personal life does.

Fortunately, Australian law provides a number of opportunities for individuals to claim compensation from their employers in the event they are injured while at work. Contacting a compensation lawyer following an accident is an important step in getting back to work with as little financial strain as possible.

The good news is that the number of accidents occurring in the country is dropping consistently, with the injury rate per 1,000 workers dropping from 16 in 2000-01 to only 11 in 2012-13, according to Safe Work Australia.

Common Workplace Injuries

So what common accidents are encountered in Australian workplaces? Here are the three most frequent injuries that are affecting workers.

1) Sprains and strains

While a sprain might seem like the sort of injury you can shrug off, they account for the largest portion of serious injuries, according to research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). In fact, these injuries account for 33 per cent of all serious workplace accidents.

2) Joint and muscle conditions

Over time, stressful work can take its toll on a person’s physical wellbeing. In fact, the long-term impact of manual labour on a person’s bones accounts for the second-largest share of common injuries in Australia – 21 per cent of the total.

While this is less frequent than sprains and strains, the fact these disorders accumulate over time is something every worker needs to be aware of.

3) Cuts and open wounds

Finally, injuries like cuts can also be serious enough to end in compensation. The ABS found this type of injury accounted for 14 per cent of all compensation cases. These cases are also far more likely to affect men than women, whereas the other categories impact both genders at roughly the same rate.

Additional Factors Affecting Workplace Safety

While these are by far the most common workplace injuries, there are other major factors that affect how safe Australian employees are when they go to work. Staff working shifts, for example, are at a higher risk of injury than those working regular hours.

It’s also important to note that these three are just the most common across Australia. Different industries will come with unique risks that can result in a serious injury for workers.

Special Mention of Spinal Injuries

Due to the seriousness of these injuries, life time care is often needed. Compensation should take into consideration this and a number of other factors. An expert in personal injury law should represent the injured person to make sure the full benefits are awarded.

If you have been affected by any of these injuries while working in Australia, make sure to speak with a compensation lawyer today.