Workers compensation helps those who have been injured on the job. Benefits include death benefits, wages, rehabilitation services, and medical expenses. Compensation claims vary according to the circumstances but some types of accidents are more common than others. Here are some of the most common claims that healthcare providers see and which you may be able to avoid by remaining aware of the dangers.

Overexertion

Overexertion is the straining of the body or putting too much pressure on yourself. If you’re used to working four hours a day, but suddenly jump to 10 hours a day, you may overexert yourself. This can result in a ligament or muscle strain or worse. It’s most common in factory jobs where there is heavy lifting involved, or anywhere there is physical labor as a job requirement. Injuries caused by overexertion are especially common in construction jobs because of the physicality involved.

Slips and Falls

It’s not cost-effective for an employer when their employees get hurt. As a result, most of the time, employers go out of their way to enforce safety standards and regulations to protect their workers. This might include making employees wear gloves, non-slip or steel reinforced footwear, or they may place warning signs in hazardous areas. However, despite their best efforts to prevent workplace accidents it still happens. If you were injured in a slip and fall accident, report it to your employer immediately. Workers compensation rules require that you report it before the statute of limitations runs out or else they will reject your claim.

Struck by an Object

This happens when something falls from a higher level onto an employee. It is a very common accident in construction zones when flooring and roofing are not yet in place and materials are being lifted to upper areas. When falling from great heights, objects as heavy as concrete or as seemingly benign as a dropped pen can cause serious or even fatal injuries.

Machinery Accidents

While less common than the others, machinery accidents are still some of the most common injuries that occur in the workplace. Most jobs don’t require the use of heavy machinery, but those with construction or factory jobs are at higher risk of injury from getting crushed. As a result, many states have implemented specialized safety training for those who use machinery as part of their job.

Falling

It may not seem like it, but falling is also a hazard in workplaces and happens quite often. Whether it’s a fall from a high area such as a ladder, roof, or even stairs, it’s easy to lose one’s balance and fall. Falls usually result in sprains but in more severe cases, victims can broken bones or even die. These injuries are most common in construction jobs and for teachers because of the high number of stair cases found in schools.

Workplace Violence

There are too many instances of workers who were disgruntled and subsequently took out their rage on coworkers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 140 government employees were shot and killed by a disgruntled coworker while working on the job between 1992 and 2012. Unfortunately, this isn’t the only scenario of violence in the workplace though that would be bad enough. Other jobs that also have a high number of workplace violence incidents include:

• Police officers
• Nurses and health care aides
• Security guards