Workplace injuries continue to be a significant concern for North Carolina businesses, impacting employee well-being, productivity, and the bottom line. Thousands of workers across the state are injured each year, with incidents frequently occurring in construction, manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and warehousing. Beyond the costs of medical treatment and workers’ compensation, injuries disrupt operations, lower morale, and can damage a company’s reputation. By understanding the most common contributing factors to workplace injuries in North Carolina, employers can take targeted steps to reduce risks, comply with safety regulations, and protect their workforce. We’ll look at 15 common factors that contribute to workplace injuries and share practical tips to help prevent them.
1. Inadequate Safety Training
One of the leading causes of workplace accidents is insufficient safety training. In North Carolina, industries such as construction and manufacturing often involve specialized equipment, heavy machinery, and hazardous materials. Without proper safety training, workers are more likely to make mistakes that lead to injury.
Prevention tip: Provide ongoing safety training and schedule refresher courses annually or whenever processes or equipment change. Ensure new hires have proper orientation. Safety Consulting Specialists offers on-site training programs tailored to your industry, ensuring compliance with OSHA standards and regulations.
2. Poor Housekeeping Practices
Slips, trips, and falls are consistently among the top reported workplace incidents in North Carolina. Spilled liquids, cluttered walkways, and improperly stored tools create hazards that are often overlooked until an injury occurs.
Prevention tip: Adopt daily housekeeping checklists, ensure tools and materials are stored properly, and train employees to report hazards immediately. Do not block fire extinguishers, first aid kits, exits, eyewash stations, or emergency showers. Our construction site safety audits identify overlooked problem areas before they cause harm.
3. Failure to Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
From Raleigh to Wilmington, North Carolina, job sites see preventable injuries when workers fail to use PPE such as hard hats, gloves, safety glasses, or steel-toed boots. Sometimes, PPE is available but uncomfortable, leading workers to opt out of wearing it. Other times, PPE may be ill-fitting or poorly maintained.
Prevention tip: Provide employees with well-fitting PPE and train them on its proper use. Supervisors should set the standard by consistently wearing PPE. Safety Consulting Specialists can help you select PPE that meets OSHA requirements.
4. Slips, Trips, and Falls
These are among the most frequent workplace accidents in North Carolina, particularly in industries such as warehousing, healthcare, and retail. Uneven flooring, wet surfaces, poorly maintained ladders, or obstructed pathways can result in injuries ranging from sprains to fractures.
Prevention tip: Install non-slip flooring where possible and use proper floor signage. Keep stairs, hallways, exit routes, and emergency exits free of slip and fall hazards.
5. Falls From Heights
Construction sites across North Carolina, from Charlotte high-rises to rural roofing projects, face one of the most serious hazards: falls from heights. These incidents often involve ladders, scaffolding, or unprotected edges, and they frequently result in severe injuries or fatalities.
Prevention tip: Require fall protection systems, such as guardrails, harnesses, and safety nets, whenever employees work at heights. Supervisors should confirm equipment inspections are up to date. Routine inspections of ladders and scaffolds are essential. Our construction site safety audits evaluate fall protection measures to prevent life-threatening accidents.
6. Struck By Moving Objects
“Struck-by” hazards are common in construction, logging, and manufacturing environments across the state. These accidents occur when workers are hit by falling tools, swinging loads, moving vehicles, or flying debris.
Prevention tip: Require workers to wear hard hats and high-visibility clothing, establish designated equipment exclusion zones, and provide training to keep employees alert around machinery. Routine inspections of rigging, vehicles, and equipment further reduce risks.
7. Caught-In/Between Hazards
Workers can be pinned between equipment and walls, caught in rotating machinery, or trapped during trench collapses. These hazards are especially dangerous in construction, logging, and agricultural operations.
Prevention tip: Require machine guarding, trench safety systems, and lockout/tagout procedures. Train workers to recognize and avoid pinch points and caught-between zones.
8. Electrical Hazards
Exposure to electricity remains a leading cause of workplace fatalities. Risks include contact with live wires, improperly grounded equipment, overloaded circuits, shock, arc flash, or arc blast. Unsafe use of extension cords and power tools can also pose risks.
Prevention tip: Require qualified personnel for electrical work, use GFCIs, and conduct regular inspections of cords, outlets, and equipment. Training in electrical hazard awareness, such as NFPA 70E, is crucial for protecting workers who work with or around electrical systems.
9. Fatigue, Stress, and Long Working Hours
Extended shifts and high seasonal workloads—especially during North Carolina’s peak construction months—can lead to fatigue. Fatigue reduces focus, slows reaction time, and increases the risk of mistakes. Stress caused by heavy workloads and deadlines compounds these risks.
Prevention tip: Manage schedules and stress to allow for adequate rest, encourage regular breaks, and rotate tasks to prevent physical and mental strain. Employers can consult with North Carolina workplace safety experts to develop effective fatigue management policies that protect their workers.
10. Complacency and Overconfidence
Seasoned workers in industries like logging, trucking, and construction sometimes skip safety steps because they believe they “know the job.” Unfortunately, this overconfidence can result in serious accidents.
Prevention tip: Reinforce safety protocols through toolbox talks and safety meetings. Our training sessions emphasize hazard awareness for both new and experienced workers.
11. Lack of Proper Supervision
Job sites without effective supervision often see an increase in unsafe practices. Supervisors play a critical role in ensuring procedures are followed, hazards are addressed, and workers feel supported.
Prevention tip: Provide supervisors with leadership and safety training so they can monitor compliance effectively and coach employees on safe practices. Safety Consulting Specialists offers supervisor safety leadership programs and provides short or long-term project safety professionals designed to strengthen oversight on job sites.
12. Hazardous Work Environments
From the high summer heat to icy winter conditions, North Carolina’s weather can create hazardous work environments. Exposure to chemicals, dust, fumes, inadequate ventilation, poor lighting, unguarded equipment, or excessive noise compounds risks.
Prevention tip: Conduct regular inspections to address environmental hazards. Our North Carolina construction site safety audits identify unsafe conditions and provide clear corrective action plans.
13. Poor Ergonomics
Musculoskeletal injuries are common in workplaces involving repetitive motions, awkward postures, or heavy lifting. Over time, poor ergonomics can lead to costly workers’ compensation claims.
Prevention tip: Provide adjustable workstations, lifting aids, and training on safe lifting techniques. Rotate employees through different tasks to prevent repetitive strain injuries.
14. Ineffective Communication
On multi-contractor sites, which are common in North Carolina’s growing construction sector, miscommunication can have dangerous consequences. Clear communication is crucial for effective coordination among teams, trades, and subcontractors.
Prevention tip: Use pre-shift meetings, signage, and documented procedures to ensure everyone understands their responsibilities. Our safety consultants can help design job site communication systems to improve coordination and reduce accidents.
15. Ignoring Safety Procedures
When safety rules are viewed as optional, injuries are inevitable. This often occurs when management fails to enforce policies consistently or when safety steps are seen as inconvenient.
Prevention tip: Build a strong safety culture from the top down. Ensure policies are practical, easy to understand, and consistently enforced. Safety Consulting Specialists reviews safety programs to support OSHA and MSHA compliance.
Building a Safety Culture in North Carolina
Addressing these contributing factors requires more than a written safety policy—it takes a proactive approach that engages every level of the organization. Best practices include:
- Conducting regular risk assessments and construction site safety audits to identify hazards before incidents occur.
- Empowering employees to speak up about unsafe conditions without fear of retaliation.
- Tracking safety performance metrics to guide improvements.
- Recognizing and rewarding safe behaviors to encourage compliance.
When companies commit to these practices, they not only reduce injuries but also improve morale, retention, and productivity.
How Safety Consulting Specialists Can Help
With over two decades of experience serving North Carolina businesses, Safety Consulting Specialists provides safety audits, customized safety training, expert witness services and site safety professionals for short or long term construction projects. Our goal is to help employers reduce workplace injuries, meet legal obligations, and protect their teams.
Whether you operate in Charlotte, Greensboro, Asheville, the Raleigh-Durham area, or anywhere in between, our consultants are ready to:
- Perform comprehensive construction site safety audits
- Deliver custom safety training tailored to your industry
- Assist with NC OSHA compliance support
- Provide detailed reports and corrective action plans
By addressing root causes like inadequate training, poor housekeeping, PPE misuse, and ineffective communication, we help North Carolina businesses build safer workplaces.
Workplace injuries are preventable when organizations take a proactive stance on safety. By tackling these 15 common contributing factors outlined here and partnering with a trusted provider of North Carolina workplace safety consulting, employers can reduce incidents, protect their workforce, and safeguard their bottom line. When safety becomes part of your company’s identity, everyone benefits. Protect your workers. Protect your business. Contact Safety Consulting Specialists today to discuss how we can partner to create a safer workplace for your employees.
