Avoid Wearing Earbuds While You Work Because Of These Injury Risks

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It's common to get into the habit of wearing earbuds to pass the time, and you might even occasionally do so at work. There are some advantages to wearing earbuds at work — namely, you can block out distractions around you and concentrate better on what you're doing. The downfall, however, is that you may not be as aware of your surroundings, and this could leave you at risk of an injury. The injury is only part of your problem. Should you file a workers' compensation claim, your employer's attorneys may argue that your earbuds prevented you from identifying the danger, and thus you — not the employer — were negligent. Here are some injury risks that could occur when you're wearing earbuds.

Vehicle Impact

A lot of jobs have vehicles of various sizes working around people. For example, if you work in a warehouse, there will likely be a few forklifts working around you. Earbuds might be tempting in this job, but they're also a safety risk. If your music is loud enough, you might not hear a forklift approaching. While the driver, of course, has an obligation to be aware of his or her surroundings, you could back directly into the path of the vehicle because you didn't know it was there.

Falling Objects

Objects falling onto people can be a risk in many workplaces, including construction sites. If someone on an elevated platform were to drop something, he or she would likely react with a quick verbal warning to anyone positioned below. Without earbuds, it's possible that you'd hear the warning and be able to move out of the way in time. However, your earbuds and music would likely impede your ability to pick up on the warning, and you could end up getting injured.

Workplace Violence

Workplace violence is a concern for every employer, and many employers will educate their staff members about how to react to incidents of violence. You choosing to wear earbuds at work could potentially increase your risk of being hurt in a violent episode. For example, if an employee or an intruder were to begin assaulting staff members, you may not be able to react and flee because your music prevented you from hearing what was transpiring. If you've been injured and were wearing earbuds at the time, don't shy away from hiring a workers' compensation attorney — just know that the case may be a challenge. Consider going here to learn more information about workers' compensation. 


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