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If you work in retail, you could easily suffer an injury

On Behalf of | Aug 23, 2018 | Firm News |

Most Ohio residents would agree that construction is a dangerous job. If you agree with that statement, then you might be surprised to know that in 2016, the combined injury and illness rates were higher for retail workers than for construction workers.

This makes working in retail hazardous to your health. Your employer ought to make your safety a priority, but that doesn’t always happen. Large corporations tend to have a more impersonal feel to them since they are far removed from their locations. However, the size of the retailer does not excuse skimping on safety.

What injuries are most common?

When it comes to the injuries suffered by retail workers across the country, the following ended up being the most common:

  • Musculoskeletal issues come in as the most common types of injuries suffered. Moving inventory from trucks into storage areas onto shelves puts quite a bit of strain on the body, along with scanning and bagging the items.
  • You could also suffer injuries brought on by overexertion. In addition, the equipment you use or others use could cause you injury as well.
  • Slips, trips and falls round out the top causes of injuries to retail workers.

You may take the time to make the store safe for your customers, but your safety may not seem like a priority. Any of these injuries could keep you out of work and require significant medical care.

What should your employer do?

Your employer needs to make safety training a priority for you and your fellow workers. Conducting refresher training at least once a year may help reduce the number of injuries as well. Everyone gets complacent, and a reminder may help ensure that you keep your eyes open for hazards. In addition, your employer should take steps to reduce the number of times you need to touch the products in order to get them in the back doors and out the front doors.

Ergonomically designed equipment may also help, especially for cashiers who repeat the same motions thousands of times each day and then must bag products as well. Certain technologies may be available to reduce the stress and strain on your body if you are a cashier. The same could be true for those who fill other positions in the store.

With the right tools and equipment, your safety could improve. It may be difficult to avoid many of the hazards that could lead to injury, so finding ways to make your job safer despite that fact could keep you from suffering on-the-job injuries.