Types and Causes of Industrial Accidents

Reasons that trigger industrial accidents and How to contain them

Hence, workers are prone to accidents and various health hazards which undermine the importance of having safe and secure work environments in industries and other work environments.

Accidents at workplaces can be sudden and unexpected which can disrupt the normal activity, whether temporarily or for a prolonged period. Indian factory act specifies that industrial accidents which cause bodily injury to workers making them out of action for 48 hours can be considered as workplace accident.

Injuries caused at workplaces can be of various types and so the accidents, which can be occurred due to various reasons.

Types of Accidents :

Accidents can be classified according to the nature, severity, number of victims and degree of injury. Mishaps causing mortality, huge property loss, permanent or long-term impact on workers, can be defined as major accidents while a small cut or injury which may not render a worker out of action is known as minor accident. Sometimes, accidents caused due to poisonous gas or chemicals can lead to internal injury or acute health problem to workers.

There will always be a cause for every accident, which can be either man-made or natural. Let us see the cause of industrial accidents.

Causes of Accidents :

Occupational safety experts have put different causes of accidents under three broad categories which are Unsafe Work Conditions; Careless Action by Workers; and. Natural and Other Causes.

Unsafe Work Conditions :

Despite strict regulations and safety procedures, accidents involving unsafe work environments do affect millions of workforce across the world. Unsafe work conditions can be attributed to defective machinery, tools, materials, equipment and safety gadgets. These are known as technical causes which can be rectified if industrial managers work in tandem with safety experts to make the place safety compliance following all necessary safety conditions, laws, regulations and standards.

Apart from these technical causes, there are psychological reasons which can make the workplace untenable. Reasons such as monotony, tiredness, working over time, personal set-back, fatigue, anxiety and frustration are some of the other causes that can lead to accidents. Safety managers identify danger zones in workplaces and take necessary corrective measures to reduce the chance of accidents. For psychological reasons, staff counselors play a vital role in keeping workers mentally strong, happy and enthusiastic.

Careless Actions :

Workers too, due to their ignorance and lack of knowledge and skills, trigger accidents which can be dangerous. Apart from these, accidents can be caused by workers who are unwell, have bodily defects, wrong attitude and mentally unsteady. Unauthorized access, improper usage of safety gadgets and attires, careless usage of materials, working not to the designated speed, usage of faulty equipment and physical disturbances among workers are some of the other reasons which can also cause accidents.

Natural and Other Reasons :

Accidents and disasters can also occur due to natural means and climatic conditions. Some of them are very high temperature, excessive noise and lighting, unhealthy conditions, excessive dust and fumes and uncivilized and arrogant nature of the immediate seniors.

By having qualified and experienced Occupational safety, health and environmental experts, who can devise safety mechanism, workplace managers can contain accidents, reduce fatalities and injuries and associated losses.

Industrial safety :

It is every organisation duty to keep their workers safe by applying industrial safety methods in workplace.Every concern should provide proper training & also provide funds to study bachelor or diploma in industrial safety from a govt. recognized institute