When to Come to the ER for Work Related Medical Emergencies

When to Go to the ER for Work Related Medical Emergencies

For many work related injuries, the emergency room is your fastest route for getting effective and timely diagnosis and treatment.

Our 24 hour emergency rooms are available to diagnose and treat work related medical emergencies

If you are experiencing work related medical emergencies, please visit one of our 24-hour emergency centers. Our board-certified ER doctors are experienced, knowledgeable and available anytime to meet medical needs.

Work related emergencies are a common occurrence. No matter how careful we are as individuals, nor how many health and safety rules an employer puts into place, accidents can and will happen. Below are the most common workplace injuries and how to avoid them.

1. Trips, Slips And Falls

Slips, trips and falls account for one third of all personal injuries in the workplace, and they’re a top cause of all workers’ compensation claims. The types of injuries incurred include head, back and neck injuries, broken bones, cuts, sprains and pulled muscles.

The most common reasons for falls in the workplace are:

  • Slips: Occasional spills, wet or oily surfaces, weather hazards like icy steps or walkway, and loose rugs.
  • Trips: Poor lighting, clutter, wrinkled carpeting or mats, uncovered cables, and uneven walking surfaces.

There are 3 keys to preventing these types of workplace accidents: good housekeeping, quality walking surfaces and proper footwear. Beyond that, employees should be encouraged to report areas where clutter, obstruction, spillage or damage have occurred.

2. Being Struck By Or Caught In Moving Machinery

Accidents can happen to anyone working with heavy machinery although they are more common in factories, with farm equipment, and construction equipment. Machinery that’s not properly guarded is a safety hazard. When body parts get caught in or struck by exposed moving parts or flying objects from machines without protective guards, the results are often times disastrous. The long and horrifying list of machinery related injuries includes crushed hands and arms, severed fingers, blindness and even worse. The best way to prevent mechanical hazards is to remember that any machine part, function, or process that may cause injury MUST be safeguarded, and proper operator training as well as protective clothing must always be provided.

3. Vehicle Related Accidents

Where there are vehicles of any kind, there’s the potential for accidents. These include being struck or run over by a moving vehicle, falling from a vehicle, being struck by objects falling from a vehicle and getting crushed by or stuck under an overturned vehicle.

Avoiding these types of accidents begins with assessing who’s at risk, as well as where and when these accidents most commonly occur. Only then are prevention measures more easily established. Focus on workplace design, ensuring all layout routes always segregate pedestrians and vehicles and make any obstructions clearly visible. Directions, speed limit and priority signs are also helpful.

4. Fire And Explosions

Explosions and fires in the workplace are frequently caused by risk factors such as faulty gas lines, improperly stored combustible materials or open flames. The resulting injuries incurred include damage to the respiratory system, varying degrees of burns and even potential disfigurement. Explosions and fires account for 3 percent of workplace injuries and have the highest casualty rate of all probable workplace accidents.

There are 4 types of injuries commonly associated with this type of accident:

  • Primary Blast: These occur due to the effects of pressure on body tissues, affecting ears, lungs and the GI tract.
  • Secondary Blast: This occurs when flying objects strike nearby workers.
  • Tertiary Blast: High-energy explosions can lift someone off the ground.
  • Quaternary Blast: Everything else that happens as a result of an explosion, such as crush injuries, burns and inhalation of toxic substances.

5. Repetitive Stress and Overexertion Injuries

RSI is commonly associated with typists or computer keyboard users, although anyone who repeatedly carries out the same movement is at risk. Even children can develop RSI when they play computer games for too long, which is one reason why it’s important to limit their game console or computer time.

The most common areas of the body affected by RSI are:

  • Elbows, wrists and fingers
  • Shoulder and upper or lower arms
  • Thumbs
  • Upper and lower back

Symptoms include tingling, coldness and numbness or loss of feeling, and can be excruciating. Your primary care provider could help you investigate recurring pain and determine the cause or treatment, or alternatively the emergency room can help with pain management or diagnosis if you suspect another cause. Some treatments available for RSI include wrist supports or splints, anti inflammatory drugs, physiotherapy and acupuncture.

24-Hour Emergency Room

Are you looking for an emergency care center in Dallas, Texas? Look no further than ER of Texas. We are a 24-hour emergency room that provides compassionate and quick medical treatment. For many work related injuries, the emergency room is your fastest route for getting effective and timely diagnosis and treatment.

ER of Texas

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