Employees in New York do their best to get the job done, but this can lead to workplace accidents and injuries. While these injuries cause a hit to the bottom line of industries, they also take a toll on the financial, physical and emotional health of employees.
One type of injury impacts workers from the smallest companies to the largest.
Causes of overexertion injuries
Information from Fit Small Business states that overexertion injuries typically occupy the top or second leading cause of nonfatal injury or illness in the workplace. Activities such as lifting, pulling, pushing and carrying fall into this category. In 2020, about 22% of on-the-job injuries came from these types of actions.
These injuries can come from repetitive tasks such as typing or using the same tool again and again. They can also originate from single-use accidents such as lifting a heavy object. Overexertion and bodily reaction injuries often cause damage to shoulders, backs and knees and they result in a median time off work of 14 days.
The nature of injuries
According to the National Safety Council, overexertion can cause several different types of workplace injuries. The most common complaint falls into the category of sprains, strains and tears, which account for about 66% of bodily reaction injuries. Other overexertion injuries include the following:
- Soreness and pain
- Other
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Fractures
- Tendonitis
Workers in all industries must watch out for overexertion dangers, with service-providing industries having the highest percentage of these types of injuries. Trade and transportation companies also have a high rate of overexertion injuries.
Workers should always pursue their legal rights when injured on the job. They have a right to fair compensation.