In the past, if you were injured at work, you would have been sent straight to the nearest hospital. At first thought, it is a great idea. Where else would you be given better care right after an accident than at a hospital? It turns out, however, that if you have suffered non-life threatening injuries, going to the hospital is far from ideal. First of all, patients with non-urgent injuries will be left waiting for long hours before seeing a physician. Second of all, medical treatments at hospitals are quite pricey.
For those two reasons, our Medical Center in Hialeah is becoming more and more popular. Our medical staff will take care of any non-life threatening, work-related injuries in no time, sparing you from sitting in the waiting room for hours on end. This way, the injured worker receives medical help immediately, and the employer can count on reduced costs for the treatment. In this article, you will find out what the most common job-related injuries are that we treat at RiteCare Urgent Care and how to avoid them.
1. Slips and falls
Employees who have slipped and fallen at work are very frequent patients at our Medical Center in Hialeah. Most often they have been injured by tripping over something lying on the floor, stumbling down a stairway or slipping on a wet, slick spot on the floor. These types of accidents often end up one of two ways: with a small bruise, or in a concussion. The health consequences of slips and falls can be serious; yet, it’s so easy to avoid them. It is crucial to ensure that any spills and leaks are cleaned up right away, that all drawers and cupboards are closed, that there is no clutter on the floor, that electrical cords and cables are hidden, and that lighting is sufficient and operational.
2. Overexertion
Overexertion is usually the result of excessive physical effort due to heavy lifting, bending, pushing, pulling, or twisting, but it can even come as a result of poor posture. We always recommend our patients acknowledge their physical limitations so as to avoid overexertion. There is nothing wrong in asking your co-workers for help if your tasks require intense physical work, e.g. moving large and heavy objects. Another good way of saving you from overexertion is using transport equipment such as carts or hand trucks when moving things is difficult. Don’t forget about taking breaks and stretching your muscles every now and then. If you work outside in the heat, drinking plenty of non-sugary fluids will keep you hydrated.
3. Repetitive Strain Injuries
According to OSHA, RSI are one of them most costly occupational health problems affecting Americans. Those often occur only after years of straining. Among the most common causes are typing, using vibrating equipment, performing forceful movements, staying in an awkward position for an extended period of time, as well as using a poorly designed equipment. Those are only several examples, unfortunately, there are many more ways to strain your muscles and tendons over time. What are the most typical results of repetitive straining? Carpal tunnel syndrome is definitely the number one health issue our patients suffer from, however, there are about a hundred different types of RSI’s. Rotator cuff injuries,dystonia, radial tunnel syndrome or tendinitis are all frequently developed by workers of different ages and genders.1
4. Falling objects
The severity of being hit by a falling object greatly depends on the workplace. Office workers are in danger of being hit by office supplies falling from the shelves, which may cause minor injuries such as cuts or abrasions. Construction workers, meanwhile, are at risk of getting more seriously injured by a falling brick, heavy tools or collapsing scaffolding. These may contribute to significant health issues like concussions, brain damage, paralysis, blindness, or even amputation. To protect employees from severe injuries, it’s crucial to provide a safe worksite, use protective equipment, build fences or barricades to keep employees out of fall zones, and use nets to catch falling objects.
5. Crashes and collisions
Another type of work-related injury is auto accidents. Injuries from accidents can result in significant disability, loss of body parts, or even loss of life. If you have been in an accident, we recommend swinging by our Medical Center in Hialeah for a quick check-up. Sometimes certain symptoms will not show up immediately after the accident, but if they are untreated, they may result in further complications. To reduce the number of car accidents, employers should implement safe driving policies and encourage their employees to do a Safe-Driver training course.
6. Walking into objects
Sometimes people are so deep in thought – or so entranced by their phones – that they don’t notice objects right in front of them. We’ve treated people who have bumped into doors, windows, tables, chairs, poles, etc. Those kinds of injuries don’t belong to the group of life-threatening injuries, but they can definitely hurt. At our Medical Center in Hialeah, we are often visited by patients who ran into an object at work and are suffering from a head, neck, foot, or knee injury. Luckily, it is simple to prevent those types of injuries by keeping the work environment safe from any hazards that people can easily walk into and encouraging employees to pay attention when in motion.
7. Cuts and lacerations
Cuts and lacerations are another frequent reason for the patients to visit Medical Center in Hialeah. Sometimes such seemingly innocent devices like a paper cutter, scissors or that glass of water may cause their user to experience pain. Cutting or tearing the skin is rather easy to do; yet sometimes it’s not so easy to make it stop bleeding if the wound is deep. What’s more, certain cases of lacerations to the head may even be life-threatening. One of the biggest concerns, except for stopping the bleeding, after getting a cut or laceration is infection. Fever, excessive swelling or pus are an alert for you to visit your doctor’s office right away.
At our Medical Center in Hialeah, we accept workers’ compensation insurance and provide immediate help to patients who have been injured at their workplace. We are open seven days per week to be able to take care of those employees who are hurt while working on the weekends, too. Contact us today to find out more about our services and work comp referrals.
1 https://www.olympiainjurylawyer.com/repetitive-stress-injuries-what-all-workers-should-know/
