The healthcare industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the nation. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), it is also one of the most hazardous workplaces.
Causes of Injuries
Healthcare worker injuries are caused by a number of factors that are somewhat inherent to hospitals and other medical facilities. Employers are responsible for having measures in place to protect their workers from known hazards. Unfortunately, some employers choose not to provide all equipment, training, and assistance necessary and injuries frequently occur as a result of this negligence. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and OSHA show that most injuries in the healthcare field are due to:
- Patient violence: An increasing problem over the last 20 years
- Patient Handling: Litting, moving, transferring, and repositioning patients without needed assistance and/or electrical equipment and machinery
- Repetitive motion and/or overexertion: Long hours and lifting or repositioning patients can exact a toll
- Slips and falls: All too common in a field involving spills, fluids, frequent cleaning and items left on the floor in moments where immediate patient care is required