Top 4 Types of Workplace Accidents in Office Buildings

 Posted on August 25, 2022 in Workers' Compensation

When you think of Workers’ Compensation, you are likely to picture people who work on construction sites or in the oil fields, not at a desk. Certainly, those who are working around dangerous machinery, heavy equipment, or dangerous chemicals are more likely to get hurt on the job. However, it is not just blue-collar tradesmen and manual laborers who sustain workplace injuries. Office employees can also be injured at work, and they just as eligible for Workers’ Compensation as any other type of worker. 

While you may be statistically much safer sitting behind a desk in an office, white-collar professionals can and do get injured at work. If you have been injured while working in an office building, you may want to speak to a lawyer for help with the process of getting Workers’ Compensation. 

Injuries Office Workers Are at Risk For

While the types of accidents that happen on riskier job sites can vary dramatically in nature, the types of accidents that happen in offices often fall into one of just a few simple categories. Office workers may be injured at work in accidents like: 

• Slip-and-falls - Slipping and falling is one of the most common types of accidents that happen to people in offices. Whether someone spilled their coffee without cleaning it up or the sink in the break room sprung a leak, office workers are at risk of slipping, falling, and landing most likely on a hard tile floor. 
• Repetitive stress - When a person is sitting in front of a computer and typing all day, it is very important that the keyboard and mouse are ergonomically designed to prevent repetitive stress injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome. These injuries often require surgery to correct, taking employees away from their desks for weeks at a time. 
• Chair falls - Falls caused by unstable, poorly assembled, or cheap and defective office chairs can do some harm. Lower back and tailbone injuries are often caused when a chair gives out and drops a person to the ground, where hand and wrist injuries are more common when a chair topples sideways, sometimes due to getting caught on uneven carpeting or a poorly-placed cord. 
• Trips - Tripping and falling can be just as harmful as slipping and falling, especially to an office worker. People who trip and fall typically throw their hands out to break their fall and land hard, often suffering broken bones in the arms, wrists, or hands. Most office staff need full use of their hands for typing or writing. 

If you were injured in an accident like these, you may be entitled to receive Workers’ Compensation benefits. 

Contact a Santa Clara County Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Cramer + Martinez is committed to helping injured workers in any work environment. Our experienced Morgan Hill Workers’ Compensation lawyers will guide you through the process of filing a claim, from reporting your injury to collecting compensation. Call 408-848-1113 for a free consultation. 

Source:

https://www.dir.ca.gov/injuredworkerguidebook/injuredworkerguidebook.html