Safetyware Blog

Head injury is one of the most common causes of fatal accidents at any industrial worksite. According to the data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2019, one worker died from work-related injury every 99 minutes. In 2007, 1066 workers from the field of construction and extraction experienced fatal injuries. Head injury can lead to devastating and traumatic changes to one in both mental and physical aspects. Apart from death, severe head injury may cause inability in performing day-to-day activities and further influence his/ her ability to work. This might lead to financial crisis for a family when the injured person is the breadwinner of their family.

Why is it so important to protect our heads?

Source of image: canva.com

Arguably the most significant organ in the human body is the brain. All the characteristics that define us as humans are controlled and coordinated by it, including our ability to think and feel, as well as our capacity for memories and emotions. Being one of the biggest and most complicated organs in the human body, the brain is the most valuable asset that needs to be protected the most. It consists of more than 100 billion nerves, that perform communication through trillions of connections called synapses. It is delicate, brittle, and susceptible to shock, impact, and bumps. Since the brain is so soft, compression, as well as contact with the skull's interior, can cause harm and damage to it. Proper head protection acts like the crumple zone of a car that absorbs the impact energy and spreads out the impact time.

Common Causes of Head Injuries in Workplace Accidents

Source of image: canva.com

An injury to the brain, skull, or scalp is referred to as head injury. For instance, traumatic brain injury, concussions, and closed head injuries are some of the head injuries that might happen to workers at worksites. These head injuries occur in the following ways:

1. Accidents from Motor vehicles
   Employees who drive a car or truck for work run a higher chance of getting into an accident. Some businesses require employees to drive often such as construction, trucking, delivery services, commercial and residential cleaning, sales, and home health care. Unfortunately, these mishaps might result in head injuries, sometimes with permanent effects.
2. Accidental falls and slips
   Slip and fall accidents are one of the most common causes of brain injuries among workers. If spills, worn-out carpet, cracked flooring, and other dangerous conditions are not fixed, practically any job site could become a slip and fall hazard.

3. Explosions.

   Some industry and construction employees are exposed to potentially explosive and fire-starting materials. A worker may have a grave brain injury if he is flung through the air or bangs his head on debris.

4. Construction

   According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), falls and being struck by objects are the two top causes of construction workers’ deaths. These are the most common causes of brain injuries among construction workers.

5. Defective work equipment
   Brain injury could be resulted as a consequence of the use of faulty work equipment.
   

Proper Use of the Safety Helmets

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is all equipment meant to be used by employees while they are at work to shield them from one or more threats to their health and safety, as well as any accessory or addition created to achieve that goal. Safety helmets are one of the most common forms of PPE that has been used in a wide field.

Safety helmet protects the user’s head by resisting penetration by objects, absorbing the shock of a blow, resisting water and slow burning, and lastly, it should come with instructions regarding its proper adjustment and the replacement of the suspension and headband. Workers are less likely to wear an uncomfortable helmet that fits poorly. A comfortable, proper-fitting helmet is the best way to protect your head at work. Here are some tips for you to use the helmet correctly!

1. Proper Fit: The ideal fit for protective headgear should leave a little breathing room for air to flow freely. When finding your fit, try to locate a spot that feels secure, yet not painfully tight. Skin abrasions are a sign that you haven’t adjusted your hard hat to the appropriate size.
2. Strap Adjustment: Make sure your strap is secure, yet not too tight. Also, examine the strap to ensure it’s not frayed or tattered.
3. Signs of Wear: Check for the condition of the helmet each time you use it. Any cracks, gouges, or flaking can cause the hat to break when hit, banged, or knocked.
4. Proper Cleaning: Use mild soap and warm water in the cleaning of your hard hat. Abrasive cleaners could damage the surface and weaken the shell. Also, keep your helmet out of direct sunlight and excessive heat. Sun and heat can harm the outer shell and cause the harness to deteriorate over time.
5. Proper Replacement: Replace your helmet when or before its protective capacity is significantly reduced. Refer to the manufacturer for specific recommendations on the suggested lifetime for the safety helmet. 

Safetyware can help

When it comes to occupational safety & health, rest assured that you can count on Safetyware Group - an award-winning integrated safety & health solutions provider with close to 20 years of experience. Safetyware is preferred and entrusted by more than 10,000 companies around the world to be their OSH solution provider because we don't just sell products or services, we offer complete OSH solutions.

The brand, Safetyware, was born with the mission of improving occupational health and safety levels in the workplace. Many sad stories of serious workplace injuries or death that tear families apart could have been prevented if the workers were equipped with the right safety knowledge or products. In Malaysia alone, tens of thousands of workers were injured and many were killed every year due to industrial accidents. The figure would be many times higher if we look at the global statistics. When the workplaces are full of hidden dangers & hazards, when the safety rules are ignored, and when the workers are ignorant or unaware of occupational safe practices, that’s when Safetyware comes into the picture.

Safetyware is synonymous with high-quality safety products at affordable prices. Making safety products affordable to the mass market without compromising quality has always been one of our goals. We want to make sure that our products are readily available to the workers whenever they are needed, and be able to withstand the harshest working environment so that workers can depend on Safetyware, and their life can be protected. We never slow down our pace to spread the good safety culture because we aspire that one day zero industrial accidents will become a reality rather than just a wild wish and that every worker can go home safely.

Safetyware goes beyond just safety products; it is a safer lifestyle.