Hazards Faced By St. Louis Hospital Employees

by James M. Hoffmann on Aug. 20, 2018

Employment Workers' Compensation Accident & Injury Employment  Occupational Safety & Health 

Summary: No matter what job you work, you need to take the necessary steps to keep yourself safe. To do this, you need to understand the hazards of your career and do whatever you can to avoid them. If you are a hospital worker, this list is a great start.

Though professions like construction and manufacturing get the most attention for their work injury potential, there are a variety of other lines of work that provide a significant amount of risk. One of those professions is hospital workers, including support staff, nurses, doctors and more. If you are a hospital employee and have already been injured on the job, you should discuss your options with a St. Louis workers compensation attorney. If not, you can read up on the prominent hospital workplace hazards and hopefully avoid an injury altogether.

 

Patient Handling

 

Hospital employees frequently need to move patients to give them the care they need. This can come in the form of adjusting their body a small amount, like turning a patient onto their side, or it can be transporting them to a different part of the hospital. Either way, this involves strain and lifting, which often cause soft tissue injuries. You can protect yourself against these injuries by following proper lifting techniques and lifting as a team when necessary.

 

Sharp Objects

 

In hospitals, sharp objects are often used to give medical care. The most common of these objects is needles. Unfortunately, handling these devices can go wrong, and that can lead to cuts and lacerations for employees. When working with sharp objects, take extra care to keep them pointed away from you.

 

Patient Violence

 

Depending on the type of hospital you work in, you may face a significant amount of patient violence. Even in the most peaceful environments, there will be some people that act out and try to hurt you. In a more unpredictable situation, such as a mental hospital, this risk is further heightened. Injuries that most commonly come from this type of hazard are soft tissue and head injuries. To prevent these damages, try to never handle an unruly patient alone. Instead, get the help you need to take care of them safely.

 

Slips and Falls

 

Hospital employees are always on their feet and often in a rush. Additionally, a hospital is a place where fluids are often left on the floor. The result is a high chance of slipping and falling. These accidents cause broken bones, strains, and sprains. To avoid them, wear slip-resistant shoes and watch where you’re walking when navigating your workplace.

 

Fatigue

 

Any hospital worker will tell you that their job is especially susceptible to fatigue. They often work long shifts, and many of those shifts go through the night and into the next morning. Though fatigue itself does not cause injuries, it increases your risk of making a mistake. One of those mistakes could be related to another hazard on this list, which will then lead to damage.


No matter what job you work, you need to take the necessary steps to keep yourself safe. To do this, you need to understand the hazards of your career and do whatever you can to avoid them. If you are a hospital worker, this list is a great start.

 

 

Law Office of James M. Hoffmann

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St. Louis, MO

63144

Phone: (314) 361-4300

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