Millions of workers sustain injury on the job each year in the United States. While some of these injuries are minor, others are more lasting and severe. If you work in the manufacturing industry, you should follow these tips to protect yourself from injury.
Wear Hearing Protection
What’s the most common type of work-related injury? You might be surprised to learn that it’s hearing loss. When exposed to loud noises for a prolonged length of time, workers become susceptible to hearing loss. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has strict rules regarding permissible levels of noise exposure, but unfortunately many employers turn a blind eye to these rules. The good news is that workers can protect themselves from occupational hearing loss by wearing hearing protection, such as noise-cancelling headphones or ear plugs.
Wear Eye Protection
In addition to hearing protection, manufacturing workers should also wear eye protection. As noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some 2,000 workers sustain eye injury that’s serious enough to merit medical attention each day in the United States. Much like occupational hearing loss can be prevented, however, so can eye injuries. Manufacturing workers at risk for eye injury should wear impact/shatter-resistant eyewear.
Heat Exhaustion
Manufacturing workers are often at risk for heat exhaustion, especially when working indoors during the summer with little-to-no cooling. Using a buddy system in which two workers watch each other for signs of heat exhaustion can help protect against this injury.
Beware of Overexertion
Overexertion occurs when a worker pushes him or herself beyond their body’s physical means. When this occurs, workers may become fatigued with slower reaction times, which can in turn place them and their coworkers at risk for further injury.
Watch Where You Step
A third all-too-common occupational injury is slip and falls. Whether it’s from same level or elevated, flip and falls have become a serious problem among workers. Such injuries can typically be prevented, however, by taking a few precautionary measures. For starters, workers should be encourages to clean up any spilled liquids in a timely manner. Allowing oil or even water to sit on the floor increases the risk of slip and fall incidents. Placing rugs and mats across problematic areas can also reduce the risk of slip and falls occurring.
These are just a few tips to help protect manufacturing workers from occupational injury.