Workplace injury prevention is a big concern, one that every business owner should have when running their businesses. Unfortunately, medical workers are, quite ironically, usually the ones that find themselves with workplace-related injuries. As such, medical institutions must pay attention to these kinds of injuries to ensure that their workforce work is injury-free and thus able to offer the best service possible.
Common Workplace Injuries in Medical Institutions
1. Back Injuries
There are a myriad of injuries medical workers are at risk of. Perhaps the most common injuries are amongst medical workers that must push, pull, and carry things—and even people—around. These usually come in the form of back injuries. This can be caused by strained muscles and ripped ligaments from all the strain their bodies are placed under. To address this problem, medical institutions should have equipment available to reduce the strain on the worker’s body, such as mechanical lifts. Also, alternating the job of such to different workers at different times will also help share the strain, meaning that no individual is constantly straining themselves.
2. Punctures and Cuts
Another common injury, especially with nurses, would be punctures and cuts. This usually happens to newer nurses, because they do not know how to utilize certain tools like syringes and needles properly, or because they do not know how to dispose of these properly. The most significant risk from this is not the fact that they have accidentally cut or pierced themselves, but that the needles may contain pathogens. To manage this issue, educating nurses and relevant individuals about the proper use and disposal of needles and other puncture-prone tools is important. Also, the use of certain items, such as retractable needles, can help reduce or eliminate the chance of someone accidentally puncturing themselves when handling a syringe.
3. Chemical Injury
Although not as common as the other types of injuries, chemical injury is still a risk in medical institutions. That is because these institutions will be handling various chemicals for various purposes. For example, they will have anesthetic agents for use in different medical procedures. That said, most chemical injuries are around the eye or face, as a medical worker will usually have that part of their body exposed when the accident occurs. To prevent this, many institutions have built stations in multiple rooms where workers can quickly rinse their hands and face when a situation such as this arises. However, to prevent this, enforcing the rules of wearing masks and respirators, as well as the proper containment of these chemicals can help reduce the risk further.
Conclusion
Perhaps the biggest reason any of these injuries exist is due to overexertion. Overexertion can also lead to many injuries, something that is unfortunately common in the medical world. That is because many of these medical workers work long hours, sometimes without rest, to treat people in need. While overexertion itself is not the injury, it can lead to injury. For example, when someone is tired, they might end up mishandling sharp items and cutting themselves. Furthermore, when someone is straining their body, their muscles and ligaments are more prone to damage. In other words, putting in too much effort, as well as performing repetitive tasks, places an individual under the risk of injury.
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