What Are the Most Common Causes of Workplace Accidents—and What Kind of Insurance Do You Need for Them?

Understanding the most common workplace injuries and how to prevent them can help reduce the number of workplace accidents that occur at your business, and increase safety for your employees.

The cost of workplace injuries can be alarming both for small businesses and their employees. Serious, non-fatal workplace injuries account for more than $50 billion annually in U.S. workers’ compensation costs.

Insurance companies reported that overexertion remained the most common cause of injuries at work, followed by falling injuries.

Also debuting in the top 10 index are two new categories in 2020: Exposure to harmful substances (including communicable diseases like COVID-19) and pedestrian-vehicular incidents, likely linked to pandemic impacts on some industries.

Knowing the most common workplace injuries and how to avoid them can greatly impact on your employee’s safety and can help your business be more sustainable.

The Most Common Types of Workplace Accidents

Overexertion

Overexertion may result from lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, carrying, or throwing objects. To avoid overexertion injuries, ensure your employees have ergonomic equipment and are safety-trained for the physical job aspects.

Falls on same level

Falls at the same level can happen anywhere to anyone at a worksite, which is why they’re so prevalent. Wires strewn about, wet floors or a file cabinet drawer left ajar can make for potential trips or slips.

Falls to lower level

Ever guess of what might happen if you decide to fall from a height like a roof or a ladder to a lower surface? Falls on the same level are more common than these injuries. Provide your employees with the right kind of equipment and fall protection gear to protect them from these accidents.

Struck by object or equipment

Being hit by a falling object or a piece of equipment or machinery is one of the leading causes of death in the construction industry, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and other industries are not immune from such accidents.

Other exertions or bodily reactions

Five: Bodily reactions and exertions — in other words, slips, trips or falls — caused during strenuous effort or excessive physical motion — are the fifth highest item on the Workplace Safety Index. Repetitive actions are usually to blame, so these can occur with just about any type of work.

Exposure to other toxic substances

Other harmful exposures include COVID-19 illnesses and were added to the index for the first time in 2023, ranking as the sixth most expensive cause of injury.

Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles

Motorized land vehicles might include all types of trucks and motorcycles, and an incident might involve the driver, a passenger, or even a pedestrian.

Caught in or compressed between equipment or objects

These types of accidents usually involve an employee crushing or getting a body part caught between a workplace object or piece of equipment. Such as when workers are struck by moving machinery or crushed between two heavy objects.

Slip or trip without fall

Slip and trips occur when there is insufficient friction between the shoe of a person and the walking surface. And they can happen when there’s an uneven surface or an unforeseen transition in flooring or steps.

The right housekeeping can help to prevent injuries. Keep floors clean and mark slippery surfaces. Keep areas well lit and free of clutters and ensure your associates wear appropriate shoes at all times.

Pedestrian vehicular incidents

These incidents were newly added to the index. The rise in these types of incidents can be attributed to pressures on supply chain, industrial hygiene, security, and delivery operations resulting from COVID-19. Those incidences were in material movers, sales and truck drivers, distribution managers, retail salespersons, building cleaning and maintenance, protective service and food service.

Workers’ compensation insurance safeguards employees and businesses

Every business can be susceptible to the common injuries above, as accidents can occur in any workplace. In case of an accident, workers’’ compensation insurance is vital to not only protect your employees but also your business itself.

Workers’ comp offers injured workers coverage for the following:

• Hospitalizations (surgeries, medication, doctor visits, etc.)
• Wage replacement (approximately two-thirds of their wages while they are temporarily disabled)
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Burial costs (funeral costs and maintenance reimbursements to dependents)
• Follow OSHA’s workplace safety recommendations whenever there is an injury at work.
• Workers’ comp insurance is mandatory

Workers’ comp is not only a smart business decision; it’s also your legal requirement as an employer. Most states require every employer to be covered, and not doing so can result in hefty fines and, in some cases, jail time.