NSC’s 10 Preventable Workplace Incidents (And Suggested Safety Training Courses for Each)

The National Safety Council (NSC) has a list of the Top Ten Preventable Workplace Incidents on their website. According to them, the items on the list are the "ten most reported workmen's compensation injuries as listed by top insurance companies throughout the country."

Since we're all interested in preventing workplace incidents and injuries, we thought it would be helpful to provide the list below and include some suggested workplace safety training courses for each item.

10 Preventable Incidents at Work and How to Prevent Them

Here's the list of the NSC's top preventable incidents on the job.

1-Violence on the Job

Violence at the workplace is a serious problem but also one that can be reduced or, in the worst case, trained for.

Suggested Courses to Address Violence in the Workplace

As always, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Our online Conflict Management training course can be a good place to start.

Stress is often a trigger for violence as well, so an online stress management course might help keep things from boiling over, too.

And in the worst-case scenario, when violence does erupt at work, it's good to have already trained workers how to handle it, as our online Violence in the Workplace demonstrates.

Stay tuned for future updates here, because we also have an Active Shooter course in the works.

2-Repetitive Motion Injuries

Repetitive motion can lead to muscoloskeletal disorders (MSD) and other workplace injuries.

Often, a good workplace or work task redesign is a good thing to start with.

In addition, though, a focus on ergonomics can help. We have two training courses focused on ergonomics--one for industrial environments, and one for office environments.

Suggested Training Courses for Injuries Caused by Repetitive Motions

Ergonomics and other human-factors training can be a big aid here.

Here's a sample of our Ergonomics for Industrial Environments training course.

And here's a sample of our Ergonomics for Office Environments training course.

And any time you're thinking about ergonomic-related injuries at work, it's a good idea to consider providing back injury prevention and proper lifting training.

3-Machine Entanglement

Machine entanglement can lead to grisly, horrible injuries and deaths, but these injuries can be prevented. Proper operator training is a must, and e-stops and interlocks can help greatly as well.

Suggested Training to Prevent Machine Entanglement Injuries

A focus on machine guarding, including both the importance of installing guarding and not removing or otherwise attempting to bypass it, can be critical here. Our online Machine Guarding training course can be a great help here.

In addition, since many of these injuries occur during maintenance, a lockout-tagout program and training course can help as well.

4-Vehicle Crashes

Suggested Course(s):
Driving Preparation
Alert Driving
Driving Hazard Recognition
Tanker Rollover

5-"Walking Into" Injuries

Suggested Course(s):
Pedestrian Safety
Safety and Health Basics

6-"Falling Object" Injuries

Suggested Course(s):
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Safety and Health Basics
Safety and Health Advanced

7-Reaction Injuries

Suggested Course(s):
Back Injury Prevention
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Ergonomics for Industrial Environments

8-Falling from Heights

Suggested Course(s):
Fall Prevention and Protection
Supported Scaffold Safety

9-Slipping and Tripping

Suggested Course(s):
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

10-Overexertion Injuries

Suggested Course(s):
Back Injury Prevention
Ergonomics for Industrial Environments

If you want to download a copy that you can print and put on the wall at work, click here. The NSC also offers additional safety statistics here.