What are the most common causes of accidents in the workplace?

Posted 5 years ago

With over 28.2 million working days lost due to work-related ill health and non-fatal workplace injuries in 2018/19, it is clear to see that there are some organisations that aren’t taking appropriate measures when it comes to these preventable accidents and incidents.

But what are the most common causes of accidents in the workplace as of 2019?

Common causes of accidents

In no particular order, here are some of the most common causes of accidents in UK workplaces…

Falls from height

This is the greatest cause of deaths at work in the UK. Working at height should always be avoided whenever possible, otherwise properly risk assessed. Any of the equipment used at height must be suitable and properly maintained. Additionally, staff must be properly trained when working at heights.

Slips, trips and falls

This is not a common cause of very serious injuries, however, it is the greatest cause of people being off work. The critical control to prevent slips is to ensure that spillages are quickly dealt with and that floor surfaces are chosen for their resistance to slip. The provision of suitable footwear may also be necessary for certain areas. Trips are most readily prevented by keeping a clean and organised workplace. An example would be making sure there are no wires hanging about on walkways.

Poor manual handling

This is a major cause of work time lost with huge numbers of people suffering chronic injuries from not following controls put in place to allow staff to properly lift. Controls include avoidance of significant manual handling or repetitive tasks and improved workplace and/or task design, plus training of staff involved in these tasks.

Stress

This is now regarded as the biggest cause of work time lost due to ill health. All large employers are now expected to have introduced stress management policies that are appropriate for their business. This involves consulting staff and using other information available (ie sickness records) to identify hazards present and practical control measures to introduce at their workplace.

Online Health & Safety Training courses

Here at iHasco, we offer a wide range of Online Health & Safety Training courses that are designed to help your organisation decrease the chance of preventable accidents in your workplace.

Some of our best-selling courses are related to the common accidents mentioned in the article, including Working at Height Training, Slips, Trips and Falls Training, Manual Handling Training, and Stress Awareness Training

Each course can be completed in under 40 minutes and, upon completion, you will receive a certificate to demonstrate that you’re working towards compliance with the current relating legislations. Try them for free today!