Urgent Matters... (about the growth of urgent cares and the 'Non-Emergency Room')

6 Ways To Prevent Injuries In The Workplace

Urgent Matters THE blog for 'The Non-Emergency Room'.

Workplace injuries are more common that you might imagine. Although we often associate dangerous job conditions with construction or manufacturing, there are countless on-the-job incidents that occur in fields like office work, delivery services and the food industry.  Accidents happen, and they don't discriminate based on your line of work.

At Downtown Urgent Care, we understand the importance of keeping employees healthy and safe on the job. That's why we've assembled this list of the most frequently occurring workplace injuries.  While not designed to be comprehensive, we hope that it will help you identify areas in your business where employees might be at risk—and find ways to prevent accidents in the future.

1. Falls
Fall, slips and trips are a leading cause of workplace injury. Whether the result of loss of balance, uneven, slick or greasy floors, or unstable equipment, a fall can result in painful sprains, head injuries and broken bones. A serious fall can even lead to paralysis or death.

2. Overexertion
When employees overexert themselves either through lifting, pulling or pushing, injuries can occur.  Because they involve damage to nerves, muscles or the spine, these injuries can be both painful and slow-to-heal. 

3. Auto Accidents
We often think that auto accidents are limited to the trucking or delivery industries. Unfortunately, this is not the case. They are a common occurrence among any group of employees who travel from one job site to another. Sales reps, attorneys, even sports teams can be involved in accidents that would be considered workplace injuries.

4. Repetitive Motion
When the human body is asked to do the same movement over and over again, repetitive motion injuries can occur. Most often seen among office workers or IT professionals, these injuries are caused by long hours at keyboards, computers or other stationary equipment. While treatable, conditions like tendonitis and carpal tunnel are painful and can negatively impact employee productivity.

5. Heavy Equipment Accidents
Large construction or factory equipment is capable of causing serious injury or even death. Employees are routinely injured by equipment malfunction. There are also incidents where employees have become trapped—caught in, under or between heavy equipment. Lacerations, compression injuries, fractures or worse can be the result.

6. Collisions With Objects
Occasionally, an employee will collide with an object such as a desk or chair. Other times, they will be hit by flying objects or debris while working. In either case, quick medical attention is the key to ensuring that the employee doesn't experience any kind of permanent, physical damage.

Downtown Urgent Care is a high-quality medical care facility committed to serving the needs of both you and your employees. That's why we offer same-day walk-in appointments, and have a dedicated Occupational Medicine team standing by to handle workplace injuries. From evaluation to treatment and follow-up, our staff is able to manage workers compensation issues from beginning to end.  Our Health Manager will provide consistent and timely communication to both you and your employee regarding the recommended treatment options, and will handle all record-keeping and follow-up appointments as well.  

With our convenient downtown location and extended office hours, Downtown Urgent Care is ideally situated to serve all of your company's healthcare and worker compensation needs. From the boardroom to the factory floor, we can make a difference in the health and welfare of your employees.  Contact us at 314-436-9300 today to learn more.

916 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63101 | 314.436.9300 | DowntownUrgentCareSTL.com

623 West 5th Street, Eureka, MO 63025 | 636.549.2100 | EurekaUrgentCare.com

Disclaimer

This blog is for general discussion, education, entertainment and amusement. Nothing written here constitutes medical advice nor are any hypothetical cases discussed intended to be construed as medical advice. Please do not contact me with specific medical questions or concerns. All clinical cases on this blog are presented for educational or general interest purposes and every attempt has been made to ensure that patient confidentiality and HIPAA are respected. All cases are fictionalized, either in part or in whole, depending on how much I needed to embellish to make it a good story to protect patient privacy.

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