Spending time with family, friends, and loved ones in the festive spirit is always fun. However, the holidays are unfortunately a time where workplace injuries increase due to many factors.
The summer months of June-August report the highest rate of workplace injuries, but the days surrounding the winter holidays see enormous upticks in injury statistics.
Because the holiday season is so peak-driven, accidents during this time frame are mostly due to overcrowding, excessive overtime, weak safety rules, extreme weather, and increased workplace velocity.
The holiday season is the most stressful time of the year for many workers. There are several reasons for this, including:
- Increase in temp workers- Many companies add temporary workers to their labor force to meet demands. However, they lack the training that the year-round employees have, and thus more injuries take place.
- Fatigue- Fatigue can increase the risk of injury in the workplace by as much as 37 percent. Accident and injury rates are 18 percent higher during evening shifts and 30 percent higher during night shifts.
- Increased Workload- This goes hand in hand with fatigue. Because companies are working hard to meet both quarterly and annual goals, many companies are working extra to achieve them. When things are rushed, safety procedures may be the first thing out the window. People are trying to get their work done quickly, so they may not take time to make sure they’re following full and proper procedures.
Personal Protective Measures
In many cases, getting too close to personal electronic devices can cause people not to observe personal protective measures (PPS). These incidents may include:
- Lower back and hip injuries from lifting and carrying heavy holiday packages
- Gripping and tripping incidents on rough surfaces during outdoor walks
- Hearing loss from loud sounds from holiday music
How Are These Injuries Happening?
Because many people think it’s okay to go into the office when they’re off work, the traditional office setup can be more dangerous than the client’s home. If you work in a distribution center, or if you’re a driver delivering shipments, the dangerous part of your job may well be loading and unloading boxes of merchandise. The people unloading the trucks don’t always wear protective gear, and many aren’t equipped with safety eyewear or a breakaway helmet. If one of them drops a box, they can easily hurt themselves or others.
Where J. Bradley Baker LLC Can Help
It’s better to be safe than sorry, so it’s essential to educate yourself on the hazards and risks before heading into your place of work.
If you have recently been injured on the job, that’s where we can help.
We offer a wide range of workplace safety, legal, and liability insurance, and we want to talk to you about your options today.