Springtime is nearly here, and for many people that means it’s also time for spring cleaning. Organizations like the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) promote National Cleaning Week, which starts on the last Sunday of March, to share tips and promote safety. ER Injury Attorneys would like to focus on the safety aspects of the event to help everyone in your household avoid injuries. Our Las Vegas injury lawyers share five of the most common injuries they’ve encountered with clients that have suffered household injuries while cleaning.
National Cleaning Week: 5 Household Injuries to Avoid
When many people hear the term “personal injury,” they often think of car accidents or whiplash. With that in mind, many people underestimate the number of injuries that happen at home. In fact, the National Safety Council (NSC) reported that 78% of all preventable injury-related deaths occurred at home.
As part of National Cleaning Week, here are five injuries to be mindful of during spring cleaning.
1) Cuts and Lacerations
Homes are filled with sharp objects such as kitchen knives, box cutters, scissors, and more. Any one of them can cause a deep laceration or cut. It’s easy to forget about these sharp objects when cleaning parts of your home that you do not use often. Be sure to keep an eye out for sharp objects, especially when you’re cleaning cluttered areas.
Even cleaning items such as scrapers can cut you. Our Las Vegas injury lawyers recommend taking things slowly and looking out for sharp objects in the room you’re cleaning. After all, spring cleaning is a thorough undertaking that’s better done safely rather than quickly.
2) Chemical Burns
Spring cleaning usually involves the use of powerful cleaning liquids. Some of these cleaning products can cause chemical burns to your eyes and skin. Use caution while using these chemical solutions, especially if they contain high levels of bleach. If possible, wear latex gloves and protective goggles while handling these cleaning solutions.
Some cleaning product manufacturers do not label their products accurately, which can lead to injury. If you’ve been injured by an unsafe cleaning product, then ER Injury Attorneys may be able to help you get compensation.
3) Slips, Trips, and Falls
One of the most common injuries, slips and falls can happen because of wet floors, cluttered walkways, and reaching for objects on high shelves. These accidents can result in cuts, bruising, and broken bones.
To avoid slip and falls at home, be sure to keep an eye out for errant power cables, make sure floors are dry before walking on them, and reach for high objects slowly.
4) Electrical Burns
Spring cleaning typically involves electrical appliances, such as vacuum cleaners and rug shampooers. Be sure that yours are plugged in securely and that the outlet you are using isn’t overloaded. Running a powerful appliance through an unsafe electrical outlet can lead to shocks.
Additionally, spring cleaning can involve mundane tasks, such as moving appliances, changing out surge protectors, and tidying up electrical cords. Use caution when handling anything with a live power connection, as a faulty connection can lead to an electrocution injury.
5) Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries can happen while performing spring cleaning tasks. For example, moving heavy furniture to vacuum accumulated dust can put excess strain on your muscles and tendons. Even basic tasks like wiping off a countertop can result in a freak ligament tear.
Lift heavy objects carefully and slowly to avoid soft tissue injuries. If an object is too heavy to lift by yourself, then wait until someone can assist you. Stop and take a break if your muscles or joints are straining. While a break may slow down your spring cleaning, it’s much better than suffering an injury that can affect you for years or the rest of your life.
Injured During Spring Cleaning?
The Nevada injury lawyers at ER Injury Attorneys hope that you found these National Cleaning Week safety tips useful. Please share them with your nearest and dearest to help them avoid spring cleaning injuries. If you’ve suffered a household injury during spring cleaning and believe that it was caused by another party then contact us for a free case consultation.
Our experienced and knowledgeable Las Vegas injury lawyers are available to assist you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us by phone at 702-878-7878 and online through LiveChat or encrypted contact form. Our injury lawyers represent accident victims throughout Southern Nevada, including Henderson, Summerlin, Pahrump, Boulder City, Laughlin, and beyond. To get the settlement you deserve combined with impeccable customer service, contact ER Injury Attorneys today.