CAUTION: Confined Spaces Small, enclosed spaces such as a cistern, septic tank, some farming and industrial equipment, well (dug / bored wells) or a well pit, may be considered Hazardous Confined Spaces and should never be entered by anyone other than a trained professional.   For more information on Hazardous Confined Spaces please visit: Confined spaces – No easy way out (updated) – Canada.ca Confined spaces | Guideline for working in confined spaces | ontario.ca

Since adults spend a good portion of their waking hours at work, it is no surprise that workplace environments cause a high percentage of injuries in this age group.

Although injuries occur more often in dangerous worksite environments such as construction sites, they also happen in non-traditionally dangerous fields like in an office environment. Even in office buildings, there are many things that we do not expect or think of as dangerous but nonetheless cause a multitude of injuries.

Here is a list of the ten most common workplace injuries compiled by insurance companies:

1. Overexertion
   This includes injuries related to pulling, lifting, pushing, holding, carrying, and throwing activities at work. Overexertion has consistently been a number one workplace injury among the surveys and statistics.
2. Fall on Same Level Surfaces
   This pertains to falls on wet and slippery office floors. Other related examples are falls and slips especially by elderly people on snow-covered pathways on their way to work.
3. Fall to Lower Level
   This type of fall happens from an elevated area such as roofs, ladders, and stairways.
4. Bodily Reaction
   These are injuries caused by slipping and tripping without falling.
5. Struck by Object
   Objects that fall from shelves or dropped by another person. These can cause very serious injuries.
6. Struck against an Object
   This happens when a person accidentally runs into concrete objects such as walls, doors, cabinets, glass windows, table, chairs etc.
7. Highway Incident
   Transportation used for business purposes such as trucks and cars may be involved in an automobile accident just like any regular traveler.
8. Caught in/ compressed by
   This type of injury usually occurs in a factory where large and dangerous machinery is used. Sometimes little or no precaution in its usage may endanger the safety of its operators. Exposure to extreme temperature is also an example of this workplace injury.
9. Repetitive Motion
   This type of workplace injury is one of those less obvious but definitely harmful ones in the long run. Repetitive motions such as typing and using the computer 24/7 can strain muscles and tendons causing back pain, vision problems, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
10. Assaults and violent acts
    Attacks caused by office politics and other arguments have led to serious physical injuries.

To find out more about workplace safety and how to prevent workplace injuries please click on the following links to the Ontario Ministry of Labour.

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