You can work for years and hardly get a scratch, then one day a fall can turn your life around. Fall injuries may cause abrasions, fractures and dislocations. However, the one of the most serious result of a fall, other than death, can be a head injury. How this will affect you depends upon which part of your brain has been injured as a result of a fall or impact. Broken bones usually heal, but head injuries can result in life long serious problems, such as:
- Increased anxiety, depression or anger
- Difficulties with motor skills
- Defects in vision and visual illusions
- Short-term memory loss or interference with long term memory
- Increased aggressive behavior
- Difficulty in distinguishing left from right.
- Changes in social behavior
How You Fall Often Determines Your Specific Injury.
From the time a worker loses a secure grip, footing or balance, until impact, several factors influence what part of the body will be injured and how severe the damage will be. They are:
- Distance of the fall
- The angle of the body at impact
- The obstacles the body strikes – what if you fall on railings, steps, or vehicles?
- The surface eventually landed on – will it be a pile of hay, or broken concrete?
What You Can Do: THINK!
- Help remind your co-workers to play it safe and avoid taking risks.
- Report unsafe conditions.
- Always use safe work habits.
- Practice caution at home.
- Know how to use fall protection and fall restraint equipment.
Stay Alert! Head injuries can have devastating consequences that may impact your life forever.