Workplace Injuries

928 Words2 Pages

The welfare of the workforce contributes a significant portion of the productivity of the workforce in general. Employees are the forces that constitute policies and drive and supervise various processes within a production. The most effective method of dealing with risks is the prevention or reducing the chances of the risk taking place. Contrary to popular belief workplace accidents are mostly not spontaneous. The injuries tend to present surprises due to the fact that no proactive measures have been taken to simulate the injuries and therefore generate preventive measures. Simulation of injuries is a process used by most organizations during the process of risk assessment. It involves the consideration of all the processes that go on in an operation, then looking at the probable steps within the processes in which injuries are likely to take place with proper consideration of aspects like probability, and then finally looking for strategies to reduce the risks. The major causes of workplace injuries can be categorized into three: injuries caused by human errors, injuries caused by ineffective procedures, and injuries caused by machines. Analysis of the causative factors of workplace injuries reveal that all of the workplace injuries can be prevented.

In a report by Scherer et al. (1993), it is outlined that a survey conducted by Occupational Health and Safety Assurance (OSHA) realized that most workplace injuries in the United States were a result of errors related to the employees. In breaking down the forms of errors the survey realized that they were caused by: carelessness, lack of training, and illiteracy. Looking at these causative factors, it is easy to realize that they are not only preventable but can be totally elim...

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...nufacturers. Through the analysis of the major causes of workplace injuries and the subsequent outlining of the preventive measures that can be taken, I can therefore conclude with confidence that all workplace injuries can be prevented. Although every company experiences different forms of risks, proper risk assessment methods and establishment of effective measures to prevent the risks has the capacity of increasing employee productivity by eliminating the risk of injury.

Works Cited

McKenzie, J.F., Pinger, R.R., & Kotecki, J.E. (2008). Introduction to community health

(6th Ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Scherer, R., Brodzinski, J.D., & Crable, E.A., (1993, April). The human factor - human failings as main cause of workplace accidents. HR Magazine. Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3495/is_n4_v38/ai_14345057/

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