You were walking down a cluttered hallway in your workplace when you looked up and noticed a light was flickering out. In the few moments you looked away, you managed to trip over a box. You fell hard onto a pair of filing cabinets, one with a drawer out, and tipped one over onto you.
Fortunately, a nearby co-worker saw the accident and managed to move the furniture and get you moved into a safer position. What wasn’t fortunate was that you had gashed your head open on the open drawer and suspected that you may have broken your wrist as you tried to catch yourself.
This kind of accident is totally avoidable, and employers have a responsibility to do all they can to prevent one. One of the most important things employers can do is to create a clean, manageable atmosphere at work. That means picking up clutter and having good organization techniques, so no one has to stumble through boxes or furniture as they try to go down a hallway or through a part of the office.
It’s safe to say that an employer who does not consider organizational safety in the workplace may be surprised by an accident like this, and they may not be sure how to handle it. Whenever you’re hurt on the job, you need to tell your employer. You should have your co-workers call 911 or help you get to a medical professional as soon as possible.
After you seek care, your employer should assist you in starting a workers’ compensation claim, so you can receive compensation for your medical care, lost wages and other financial needs.
