While no work injury is good, head injuries in particular can be very dangerous. With how important our brains are, you want to make sure you take the right steps to stay safe. Therefore, it’s important to know how these injuries occurs, and how to avoid them in the first place…

Head Injuries: What To Watch For

Common causes

Many of the common causes behind head injuries are also causes of other frequent workplace injuries as well. For example, slips, trips, and falls, which tend to cause head trauma, are also the second-most common injuries in general for workers. Falls from elevated surfaces, such as ladders, can cause workers to strike their heads as well.

There’s also impacts to the head from other objects. Falling objects from above a worker can easily impact them in the head. These objects could be something like a dropped tool, or something placed on a high shelf which wasn’t secured properly. Even just walking into a wall or open cabinet can be enough to cause a head injury.

Injury effects

A person can feel the effects of head injuries both externally and internally. It’s common for there to be some bruising and swelling around the area of the head that was hit. Depending on the cause of injury, cuts may also be present. Severe injuries could even lead to fractures in a person’s skull.

Internally, these injuries may cause a person to feel confused, nauseous, or dizzy. It’s also possible that they may develop a concussion. In more serious situations, blood clots, bruising, bleeding, or other traumatic injuries can occur inside the brain.

Keeping safe

Preventing brain injuries is all about protecting the head and reducing risks. Workers should wear proper head protection, such as helmets, when they’re either working up high, or around objects which could fall on them. That way, should something hit them, the helmet will take the brunt of the impact.

Additionally, it’s good to reduce the chances of an injury occurring in the first places. Using tool lanyards and securing any high-up items can do a lot to cut down on falling objects. It also helps to mark anything which someone could hit their head on clearly, so they can be aware ahead of time.