How Dangerous Is Office Work, Really?
If you work in an office, you probably feel pretty lucky that you aren’t exposed to the kinds of day-to-day dangers faced by those who work construction, toil on factory lines or are employed in warehouses.
However, your job isn’t without its dangers – and you may be more at risk for on-the-job injuries and disability than you realize.
Slips, trips and falls are a big problem
Office workers are actually more than twice as likely to suffer from disabling injuries after a fall than people who work in other environments. Falls can be caused by:
- Poor lighting
- Dirty floors
- Trailing power cables
- Uneven floors
- Worn tiles or carpeting
- Wet surfaces
- Torn mats
All it takes is a box of office supplies carelessly left in your path to cause you to trip and end up with a broken hip, a busted jaw or a traumatic brain injury from hitting your head on a filing cabinet as you went down. Those kinds of injuries can leave you unable to work for months.
Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) are another big issue
RSIs are sometimes called “overuse” injuries, and they are caused by using a body part over and over again on repetitive tasks, and that includes the kind that occurs when you’re sitting in a chair and typing on a keyboard for hours at a time, day after day.
Some of the most common RSIs for office workers include:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Cubital tunnel syndrome
- Lower back strain
- Tennis elbow
- Trigger finger
- Tendonitis
Most of these injuries are caused by inflammation, and they can quickly become chronic if a worker doesn’t take time off the job to heal.
If you suffer a workplace injury in an office, you have as much right to workers’ compensation as any other injured worker. If you encounter difficulties with your claim, it may be wise to seek explicit legal guidance.