Preventing workplace injuries is an ongoing concern for both employers and employees. When workers are properly trained, adhere to safety guidelines, and wear protective gear, over time, they are less likely to become injured on the job.

New employees tend to be injured more often than more experienced employees. The Institute for Work and Health in Canada found that within their first month of work, a new employee is three times more likely to become injured than an employee that has been on the job for a longer period of time. Furthermore, these employees are also more likely to be absent from work as a result of an injury.

Employees with less than a year of service are also more likely to be injured. In 2013, for example, approximately one-third of the nonfatal injuries that occurred were within this group of employees.

Age has also been shown to be a factor with workplace injuries. In 2014, workers between the ages of 16 to 19 experienced injuries that caused them to miss an average of four days of work.

It’s interesting to note that workers 65 and older experience fewer injuries. According to 2014 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this age group of full-time workers experienced 94.2 injuries per 10,000 employees. This was fewer injuries than any other age group.

Wearing the right foot gear can make a significant impact on preventing workplace injuries. Construction workers and laborers, for example, tend to take more than 30,000 steps a day. On an annual basis, employers are spending roughly $70 for each employee so that they have the proper foot protection.

Protective, high visibility clothing also contributes significantly to worker safety. The type of clothing needed will, of course, depend on various factors. In addition to the type of job being performed, environmental conditions and situations such as the following will be determining factors:

• Job site location
• Time of day

Weather conditions

When employees are working indoors or in well-lit areas, they will usually need different types of protective, high visibility workwear than when working outdoors. In addition to the proper type of footgear, employees may be required to wear safety work pants and cotton safety shirts along with a black or orange safety vest.

If employees are working outdoors during the night or when there is poor visibility due to the job’s location and weather conditions, brightly colored workwear such as breathable reflective rain gear is recommended. High visibility winter jackets may also be recommended under these conditions.

When the weather doesn’t warrant high visibility winter jackets, a high visibility hooded pullover sweatshirt or windbreaker may be sufficient. Custom reflective jackets are another possible option to wearing high visibility winter jackets.

Wearing the proper safety gear and clothing for the job is essential. It is an integral part of protecting workers from potential accidents and injuries, particularly when they are working in areas where visibility is an issue.