Injury prevention

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Lifting objects or manually handling materials puts workers at risk for back injuries. More than 111,000 such injuries requiring days away from work were recorded in 2017, according to Injury Facts, an online database created by the National Safety Council.

We’ve all heard that adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep a day. Missing out on good sleep can negatively affect your productivity, cognitive performance, vigilance, accuracy and judgment.

Do you ever get distracted by your cellphone when walking? Is your workspace cluttered and messy? Do you barge out of your workstation without looking to see if a coworker is passing?

Hazards are all around us. Although some are easy to see, many are not. The trick is learning to spot the hidden hazards.

Cave-ins during excavation work, body parts being pulled into unguarded machinery, standing within the swing radius of cranes and other equipment, and being caught between a piece of equipment and a fixed object – all of these are examples of caught-in or caught-between incidents that can occur at work.

Needlestick and sharps injuries occur when needles or other sharp objects inadvertently puncture a person’s skin, and can happen “when people use, disassemble or dispose of needles,” according to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety.

Falls continue to plague the construction industry. According to OSHA, falls are the leading cause of death in construction.

Even if you don’t live or work in an earthquake-prone area, don’t dismiss the threat. Earthquakes can occur in all 50 states.

Workers using aerial lifts can be injured or killed if they don’t know how to operate them safely.

Nearly 20 percent of the U.S. workforce is older than 65, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. By 2020, 1 in 4 American workers will be older than 55.