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Breaking habits that lead to workplace injury

On Behalf of | Sep 26, 2017 | Workers' Compensation

You have likely heard about safety on the job until you are numb to it. Some days, you just want to get your work finished so you can go home and relax. If this means taking a shortcut, so be it. However, shortcuts are one of the most common root causes of workplace accidents. Depending on the kind of work you do, a workplace accident may result in devastating injury.

In fact, research shows that 80 percent of on-the-job accidents are preventable if the employees avoid these common behaviors.

Cut your risks by not cutting corners

Everyone takes shortcuts. You avoid Oklahoma highway congestion by zipping through a quiet neighborhood. You speed up dinner by purchasing a ready-to-eat entrée. You get the kids off to school faster with toaster pastries and a juice box. Shortcuts can be efficient if the job you are doing is not dangerous. But if you work with machinery, chemicals or potentially deadly heights, cutting corners at work may put your life and the lives of your co-workers at risk.

One way you may be tempted to cut corners is by rushing to start a job before you have all the vital information about the situation. If you aren’t aware of special conditions, you may find yourself quickly over your head and at risk of injury. Depending on the task at hand, there may also be standard safety procedures that should be followed.

Root causes

Taking shortcuts is not the only way you can place yourself and your co-workers in danger. Other common reasons for workplace accidents include:

  • Not keeping a workplace clean and well-organized
  • Allowing your personal life to distract you
  • Failing to properly prepare for the job
  • Believing an accident could never happen to you

Keeping your eye on the potential dangers of the job is one way to maintain a healthy respect for the work and the critical safety issues involved. By doing your part to ensure your own safety, you also reduce the chances that you will cause an injury to a co-worker. You may also set an excellent example of a safety-conscious work ethic for your co-workers.

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