Many workers in New Hampshire who suffer from workplace accidents may ignore the possible repercussions. When workers suffer from minor accidents, they may disregard it or believe it is not important enough to report. This may include dropping a heavy item on their foot without breaking any toes, tripping up one step and landing on their knee or closing their finger in a door.
These are indeed minor compared to falling from a roof or tripping down a flight of stairs. Even so, they may cause injuries. Failure to report these incidents and a tendency to write the pain off as unimportant at first may catch up to the person later on. It is always best to report an accident no matter how minor, as the pain or subsequent injury may creep up later on.
USA Today identifies slips and trips as one of the top accidents leading to workers’ compensation claims. They also point out that moving parts are dangerous. Most people think of heavy, industrial machines, but cars may fit into these categories as well. Protected inside the cabin of a car, many workers may at first believe getting rear-ended in traffic is not a big deal. However, the sudden jerk to the spine may lead to painful back pain later on.
MarketWatch also points out that lifting and lowering material was the main cause of injury from 2010 to 2014. This was involved in 32% of accidents and was most common in retail as well as the oil and gas industry. Not surprisingly, strains and sprains accounted for 30% of reported injuries. This was followed by cuts or punctures, contusions, inflammation and fractures.
The good news is that workplace injuries are on the decline. Almost two and a half decades ago, the private sector reported 6.6 million injuries and illnesses related to work. In 2015, the number sat around 3 million. Note, however, that these injuries consider not just accidents but included others, such as repetitive stress injury and chronic illnesses linked to chemical exposure.
