Head Injuries after the Fall

You can work for years and hardly get a scratch, then one day a fall can turn your life around. Fall injuries may cause abrasions, fractures and dislocations. However, the one of the most serious result of a fall, other than death, can be a head injury. How this will affect you depends upon which part of your brain has been injured as a result of a fall or impact. Broken bones usually heal, but head injuries can result in life long serious problems, such as:

Changes in personality, such as increased anxiety, depression or anger.
Difficulties with eye and hand coordination, and inability to handle tools or play sports well.
Defects in vision and visual illusions.
Short-term memory loss or interference with long term memory.
Increased aggressive behavior.
Difficulty in distinguishing left from right.
Changes in social behavior
How You Fall Often Determines Your Specific Injury.

From the time a worker loses a secure grip, footing or balance, until impact, several factors influence what part of the body will be injured and how severe the damage will be. They are:

Distance of the fall - momentum and velocity effect the impact on your body.
The angle of the body at impact - we're not like cats landing on all fours.
The obstacles the body strikes - what if you fall on railings, steps, or vehicles?
The surface eventually landed on - will it be a pile of hay, or broken concrete & re-bar?
What You Can Do: THINK!

Help remind your co-workers to play it safe and avoid taking risks.
Report unsafe conditions to the nearest supervisor.
Make it a habit to work safely, regardless of time pressures and productivity goals.
Practice caution at home - accidents and head injuries from falls happen more often off the job than at work.
Know how to use fall protection and fall restraint equipment. Never say, "I don't need to fool around with that stuff-I'll only be up there a minute."
Stay Alert! Head injuries can have devastating
consequences that may impact your life forever.