You go to work, in perfect health, but there is a possibility that by the end of the day, you might have sustained an injury that will disrupt your life- for a few weeks or for years. Workplace injuries are common and utterly unpredictable. In some professions such as mining, fisheries, construction work, these injuries are almost unavoidable. But even if you in a relatively safe profession, there is no guarantee that you will never get hurt. Some of these accidents can even be fatal. In fact, Ontario reports the country’s highest workplace fatality rate.

So, what are the different kinds of injuries that can happen at your workplace?

Slip and fall

Slip and fall is the most common form of injury at the workplace. These injuries can range from minor to life-altering. The reason why slip, trip and fall injuries are so widespread is that they can happen to you irrespective of the nature of your work. Whether you work at a department store, an office or a library, these accidents can strike anytime.

A slip and fall accident can be caused by-

• A slippery floor
• Uneven floorboards
• Hollows or depressions in the floors of passages
• Unlit staircases
• Scrunched up carpet

You may be able to recover compensation with the help of slip and fall injury lawyer.

Falling from a height

If you are in construction, the chances of you falling off scaffolding cannot be over-ruled entirely. Safety gear might malfunction, or you could skid across a wet floor or trip over an obstacle and fall from a great height and injure yourself.

Muscle strain

These injuries are common in fields that require intense physical labor. Lifting, hauling, timbering, yielding heavy machines can take a toll on your body. Your muscles are overworked and pushed to their limits. They are stretched out and tears may develop. Injuries include muscle pain, sprained ligaments, and strained tendons. Back ache, stiff neck, pain in different parts of your body will ensue.

Falling objects

This injury is not specific to any particular profession. At any workplace, be it a regular office, a timber yard, a heavy object may land on you and injure you. Objects may topple off shelves or cupboards, or a ceiling may collapse on top of you. If objects are not secured in their places, or if a building is in a state of disrepair, you are at risk of injuries yourself.

Repetitive Strain Injury

Repetitive strain injury, as the name suggests, arises when you overuse your joints. So this kind of injury can be found across the spectrum of professions. It can strike a construction worker who is always bending and straightening, a nurse who is always on his/her feet or an IT professional who taps away at his/her keyboard all day. Joints become stiff and complain with each new movement. This injury is widely ignored by employers. Frequent breaks and proper joint relaxation techniques can help avert these injuries. But unfortunately, not many employers are keen to grant multiple breaks in a day.

Crashes or collisions

Crashes and collisions are a job hazard for people whose profession requires them to travel about in a vehicle. At risk are-

• Ambulance drivers
• Truck drivers
• Salespeople

These injuries become even more probable when the driver is working overtime and is sleep-deprived. Bad weather also increases the risk of crashes and collisions.

Cuts and bruises

Cuts, scratches and lacerations are not profession-specific. Anybody could injure themselves with the tools they are working with, paper shredders, scissors etc. Similarly, falling and bumping your head or other body part against a hard object could give you painful lacerations. Usually, inadequate training, poorly-maintained tools or an object placed in an odd place result in these injuries. Fortunately, cuts and bruises are not life-threatening.

Inhalation of toxic fumes

If you work in a laboratory, factory or a hospital, you are at risk of inhaling hazardous fumes that can be either chemical or organic. Unless you are equipped with safety gear, toxic fumes can obstruct your respiratory tract and cause irritation, choking and coughing. Long-term exposure to toxic fumes can even trigger adult-onset asthma.

Exposure to noises

Industrial deafness is not a thing of the past. Even today, people who are employed by heavy industries complain of hearing problems. Not upgrading sound absorption devices that muffle the noise of machines and not providing employees with soundproofing gear can cause hearing disorders.

When you sustain an injury at the workplace for no fault of yours, you are entitled to a settlement from the at-fault party’s insurer. Personal injury lawyers will ensure you receive the best compensation possible. Your medical bills, out-of-pocket expenses, emotional trauma, disruption of lifestyle are all damages that need compensation.