For staffing workers, there’s a lot that goes into their daily tasks of helping temporary professionals find work and earn income. But while staffing workers are right to worry about the health and safety of the employees they send out on jobs, they still have to worry about their own general health and safety in the office environment.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are tens of thousands of injuries or work-related health problems that staffing workers who work out of an office suffer every year. While working in an office may seem more comfortable than other environments, such as construction zones or factory settings, office jobs come with their own unique risks that should be thoroughly considered and protected against.
Staffing Worker Injury Risks
Here are some major safety risks that staffing workers need to be prepared for.
Slip and Fall
Every year, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) cites more than 800,000 patients who are hospitalized because of a fall injury. In fact, the CDC has found that office workers are more than twice as likely to suffer an injury from a fall than non-office workers. These falls can come from slipping on wet floors, tripping over loose carpeting or electrical cords, using a chair instead of a ladder, or poor lighting.
Repetitive Stress
These injuries are one of the fastest-growing occupational injuries in the office space. Any job that requires someone to sit or stand in the same position for a long period of time or perform the same manual tasks repeatedly can develop into a repetitive stress injury. A common type of injury in this category among staffing workers is carpal tunnel syndrome.
Back and Neck Strain
Injuries to your back, neck, and shoulders are usually due to working in the same position for multiple hours. Over time, a 40-hour workweek that includes someone staying in the same hunched position can add up. Some changes can work out by making pain and stress go away, including maintaining a neutral posture and moving around every hour. This can reduce stress on backs and joints and help boost circulation.
Strain on Eyes
In today’s work environment, screens run the show, especially in office spaces where staffing workers depend on them to connect temporary employees with new jobs. Unfortunately, eye strain is a real issue that needs to be protected against staffing workers, helping to keep dry and irritated eyes from causing stress. To reduce this eye strain and eye fatigue, workers should take 5-10-minute breaks every hour they spend looking at a computer or phone, which can give eyes a break and help to refocus things at varying distances.
Staffing Injury Risk Management Summarized
Understanding the risks that staffing injuries bring is crucial. Create a plan and recognize what your business specifically can contribute to workplace injury.
About Monarch Partners Group, LLC
For more than 30 years, Monarch Partners Group (MPG) and affiliate Nationwide Employer Services LLC have focused on providing Workers’ Compensation insurance solutions for distressed risks and industries. Our long-term history and expertise in the space and market sources enable us to find solutions for business owners and brokers that they may otherwise not have access to. We write Workers’ Compensation coverage for all types of risks in all states with solutions that Employer Organization (PEO), Employer Of Record (EOR) and Captive Insurance programs. To learn more about our products and services, contact us today at (855) 435-5153.