Valentin Bosioc
What comes to mind when you hear about workplace injuries? For most people, they automatically think about assembly line workers who have to operate heavy machinery or at an elevated level.
The truth is, whether your job is lifting cartons in a factory warehouse or financial analytics on a desk with a computer, you are prone to injuries everytime you walk into work.
Incidents that involve white collar or office job injuries do not receive much attention compared to blue-collar because they happen over time. More often than not, their results are not as fatal at their counterpart’s. Either way, a workplace injury necessitates compensation for damages caused.
Let us look at some of the common white-collar job injuries and how you can protect yourself.
Back and Neck Pain
Office work often involves sitting at a desk throughout the day, sometimes bent over a screen or reports. If your work environment is not ergonomic friendly, you are likely to suffer from both back and neck pains.
These issues translate into other aspects of life out of work, such as difficulties performing daily activities, exercising, and sleeping. When working, maintain a healthy posture and remember to schedule light stretches.
Headaches and Migraines
There are many factors in a white-collar workplace that could be causing your recent headaches and migraines. First, staring at a screen such as phones and computers for long hours can cause eyestrain, poor blood circulation, and exhaustion, ultimately contributing to severe headaches.
Poor lighting is also a major cause of headaches. Take regular breaks and adjust environmental issues such as lighting and allergens in the air.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
An office setting can also be fall-prone if poorly maintained. Things such as poor lighting, wet floors, loose cables, and furniture can cause a slip or fatal fall. Such incidents have serious repercussions with long-term injuries like broken legs, spinal injuries, and even brain damage.
Maintain a neat office by decluttering your space and managing other hazards like loose wires.
Repetitive Stress Injuries
Though rare, some office roles require performing the same tasks over and over again. Such tasks include data entry, typing, stamping of documents, among others.
Repetitive stress injuries occur when the tissues and tendons of a particular body part wear out because they are always in movement. An ideal example is the carpal tunnel syndrome that begins as a twitch in the hand among regular typists.
Motor Vehicle-Related Injuries
Some white collar jobs involve travelling or driving for many hours. This includes the distribution of products, travelling for field work, or ferrying executives from one place to another.
If you are injured in a car accident while performing your assigned duties, a workers comp lawyer can help you in collecting your rightful compensation
Occupational Stress
Occupational stress is an overlooked long-term injury that can occur either in a blue or white collar setting.
More often than not, it is the unmanageable demands of a job and poor leadership that inflicts occupational stress. Occupational stress might be challenging to point out because the symptoms are not easy to identify. For example, occupational stress can cause hypertension and loss of appetite, but other illnesses can do that as well.
Eye Problems
There is more than enough scientific research to illustrate the optical health effects of staring at a screen for too long. As businesses continue to integrate technology in their daily activities, devices with screens will remain an essential part of operations.
If you spend long hours working with digital devices, consider purchasing blue-light glasses that block the harmful blue light from reaching your eyes.
