Often, we take the most important parts of our body for granted, and the feet are no exception. Our feet carry us around all day and are pivotal in many of the tasks we do, both at home and in the workplace.
Every year, nearly 100 thousand workers are required to take time off because of injuries to their feet. How do foot injuries happen? Are there ways to prevent such accidents? What are your options if you’ve suffered this type of injury at work?
The risk of crushing injuries
The most severe type of foot injury occurs when this area of the body is crushed. Vehicles and heavy machinery are utilized in a number of workspaces, but they are especially common on construction sites. If a forklift, digger or any other heavy vehicle runs over your foot, this is going to result in devastating crush injuries.
It’s likely that you’ll have to take several months off of work at least, and in more severe cases, the damage to your foot might be irreparable. Employers need to make sure that when workers and heavy machinery must operate in the same space, this is done in a safe manner.
The danger of penetrating injuries
Another common cause of foot injuries at work is when a sharp object penetrates the sole of the shoes and enters the foot. For instance, on many construction sites, there will be broken glass, loose nails and other sharp objects on the floor. Not only can the initial lacerations from sharp objects be very painful, but there can be further complications such as nerve damage and infections.
Protective footwear is something that your employer should ideally provide, but even this cannot prevent every injury. If you’ve been hurt on the job, make sure you look into your options in terms of pursuing workers’ compensation.