Employers are required by law to create a safe workplace environment for workers that minimizes the possibility of accidents and injuries, and also lessens the severity of damages that may result from any accidents to do occur.  These measures include:

• preventive measures such as training workers in compliance with safety standards,
• use of high quality, well maintained equipment and machinery,
• training workers in the safe and proper use of equipment,
• having procedures to correct any dangerous practices in the workplace, and
• maintaining effective emergency response measures to reduce risks of injury to workers in the event of an accident, through training and proper accident investigation.  

Workplace injury commonly involves injuries to the eyes, head, hands, neck, and face.  In spite of laws that govern safety in the workplace, accidents and injuries are more common than they should be, and are almost always entirely preventable.  The most common workplace injuries include, but are not limited to:

Crushing Injury

A crushing injury involves the crushing of a body part or parts between two solid objects, like the components of a piece of machinery.  These injuries can either be restricted to a single small part of the body like a finger, but most often in the workplace, crushing injuries involve large parts of the body, damaging multiple organs and extensive tissues, including the nerves, muscles, and bones.  A serious crushing injury can be life-threatening or even fatal, may include heavy blood loss, and may require extensive surgery and physical therapy to restore use of the affected body parts.

Blunt Force Trauma Injury

A blunt force trauma injury is one inflicted on a specific body part as a result of a large force or impact.  These could occur in connection with a fall in the workplace, or when a worker is struck by a falling or swinging object, or moving machinery or equipment. Blunt force trauma injuries, although they are classified as separate injuries, often involve other complications, like major contusions, and fracturing of bones.

Head Injury / Brain Injury

A head injury in the workplace can occur as a result of a fall from an elevated position, or as a result of being struck by falling equipment or debris.   Sufficient and high quality head protection equipment makes these accidents preventable, and employers are required to not only provide such gear to employees, but also to train them in their use, and in the reasons for and importance of their use.  Brain injury that can occur as a result of a severe head injury can vary in severity, from milder forms that cause memory problems and speech difficulties, to more severe injuries that require an injured worker to have round the clock professional care.

Broken Limbs / Amputation Injury

Workers in industries like meatpacking, logging, mill work, woodworking, poultry and food processing, paper mills, and steel mills are exposed to more risk of  broken or severed limbs than many other workers.  When pieces of equipment that have the potential to cause amputation injuries are present in the workplace, the employer is required to place these appropriately, taking into account the potential exposure of employees to sharp edges, cutting blades and shears.   Employees must also receive adequate training not only in the operation, but also in the safe cleaning, maintenance, setup, changeover, and take down of the machinery.

Eye Injury

It's estimated that at least 2,000 eye injuries occur each day in the American workplace.  Most of these take place when small particles of cement, wood splinters or metal enter the eye.  They can also result from blunt force trauma that damages the eyeball, and because of hazardous chemical splashes or laser burns.  Eye injuries, like so many workplace injuries, are preventable if protective eye wear is worn at all times when an employee is working in potentially hazardous conditions.  Besides protective goggles, helmets, hard hats and face shields can help protect the eyes from injuries.

Neck and Back Injury

Musculoskeletal injuries or neck and back injuries can occur when there is substantial or repetitive strain on certain areas of the body like the lower back, neck and shoulder muscles.  Certain activities like lifting and carrying heavy loads, lifting of people as in nursing homes, cause strain on the back muscles that result in injuries with a long term impact.