There are many types of injuries that can occur at a place of employment. Regardless of where you work, you need to know which steps you can take to improve your overall level of safety.
Struck-by injuries are common in the workplace. This is the result of forcible contact or impact between an object and a person.
There are many categories of struck-by hazards, including:
— struck-by a flying object
— struck-by a falling object
— struck-by a rolling object
— struck-by a swinging object
An example of a struck-by accident would be a person who is hit by a piece of machinery, such as a forklift, in a warehouse. While not every incident causes serious injury or death, this is a concern among all companies.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, in 2010 alone there were 402 occupational deaths caused by struck-by hazards.
There are steps companies can take to avoid such accidents, including:
— Never put yourself between a fixed object and moving object.
— Being alert of heavy equipment and machinery.
— Proper inspection and maintenance of vehicles before each shift.
— Vehicles should never be driven unless the operator has a clear view of their path.
Every year, struck-by accidents injure and kill workers throughout the country, spanning a variety of industries.
Workers and companies can take steps to prevent such accidents. If this type of event does occur, it is important for the injured party to receive immediate medical attention and for the accident scene to be closed off for the time being.
Source: The American Society of Safety Engineers, “OSHA’s Focus Four: Mitigating Jobsite Hazards,” Pete Rice, accessed Sep. 16, 2015
