Workplace injuries happen all the time. They run the spectrum from minor (and easily treated) to fatal. In the world of The Office, they’re as absurd as they are dangerous.
Few offices, even other fictional ones, have seen more ridiculous (and preventable) accidents than Dunder Mifflin Scranton. Hapless regional manager Michael Scott is often at the center of them. But while his antics make entertaining TV, getting injured at work in real life can be much more serious.
Let’s look back at some unforgettable falls (and other calamities) from The Office and address what they can teach us about common workplace injuries. As Michael Scott often proves, OSHA violations are no joke.
The George Foreman Grill Incident
This first one breaks the concept of the blog a bit, as it didn’t happen on the premises of Dunder Mifflin. But this is one of the funnier scenes in a show that’s full of them:
Even by sitcom standards, it’s hard to imagine someone using a George Foreman grill in bed. Scott’s after-the-fact explanation is arguably funnier than his pained yelps over the phone: “I enjoy having breakfast in bed. I like waking up to the smell of bacon. Sue me!”
Studies estimate that a significant share of burn injuries occur in the workplace. Within industrial settings, electrical or chemical burns are a particularly harrowing risk.
Helping prevent workplace burns requires following common-sense guidelines as closely as OSHA standards. Leaving a hot appliance or piece of equipment unattended can cause a serious burn just as easily as breaking lockout/tagout rules for machinery power sources.
The Koi Pond Plunge
Michael takes “micromanaging” to new, excruciating heights on The Office. In that context, Jim’s retaliation for such a moment is hilarious:
Scott’s escalating attempts to conceal what happened bring more laughs. (He admits it eventually: “Turns out, it’s not the first time I’ve been embarrassed by a pond.”)
Most slip-and-fall cases aren’t funny, however. Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they’re the second-largest cause of workplace fatalities. Also, the OSHA incident rate for fall hazards leading to a post-inspection citation is greater than any other violation.
A lot goes into preventing slips and falls (signage, proper equipment, etc), but minding your surroundings is critical. And if you see a co-worker about to encounter a hazard, shout a warning or run over to help.
The Forklift Fiasco
When Michael ignores safety rules and pilots a forklift, it’s funny. All he does is knock over some shelves, later quipping “You can’t say I’m the worst boss ever. Someone out there has run a forklift into a person’s legs.”
In the real world, forklift accidents often cause much more damage. Per the BLS, over 15,000 people were seriously injured at work and 143 were killed across 2021 and 2022. It’s impossible to overstate the importance of leaving forklifts strictly to certified operators.
The Fire Drill
Michael’s odious assistant Dwight Schrute makes his boss look reasonable and effective by comparison. Consider Schrute’s “fire drill” (i.e., “intentional trash fire to trigger alarms,” which he describes by saying, “Today, smoking is gonna save lives”).
This gives everyone some smoke inhalation, gets several people trampled (including Michael), nearly kills the poor cat Bandit, and gives Stanley a heart attack.
Slips and falls are the most common cause of injury in an office. Failing to manage fire drills calmly could easily cause several slips, and it wouldn’t be a laughing matter.
The Meredith Car Accident
Continually making obliviousness an art form, Michael is too busy bloviating about the company’s prospective successes to notice Meredith walking through the parking lot. He slams his car directly into her.
Fatal parking lot car crashes might not be everyone’s first thought if asked “Which is the most preventable type of workplace emergency?” But they should certainly be high on the list. Basic caution and slow driving are all that’s necessary to help prevent roadway incidents (the most common workplace injuries that lead to fatalities) in the parking lot.
The Parkour Disaster
Parkour, the French athletic discipline that involves nimbly running, jumping, climbing, and other acrobatics to walk seemingly unbridgeable paths, is thrilling to watch when done by real-world experts. (Or action movie stars and their stunt doubles.)
Michael, Dwight, and sales exec Andy Bernard are none of those things. When they try to do parkour moves in the office and parking lot, they look ridiculous and cause a major occupational injury hazard for everyone else. (Plus, Andy dives from a truck roof into a crate, which he smashes through instead of bouncing from.)
Workplace violence, one of the most dangerous job hazards, doesn’t have to be malicious. Its intent can be as silly as that of these Office jokers and still get someone seriously hurt. Stamping out this kind of irresponsible behavior in addition to anger-driven workplace violence should be a key focus of any office safety campaign.
The Christmas Party Chair Injury
In an ill-advised stint as Santa for a Dunder Mifflin Christmas Party, Michael has people of all ages and sizes sit on his lap.
Setting aside this being problematic for many reasons, the chair he’s using isn’t remotely suited to this responsibility. It doesn’t break, but comes close, and there’s no doubt Michael’s feeling the strain of this for days. (Not that he has anyone to blame but himself.)
Special occasions like holiday parties aren’t excuses to throw abandon in-office safety. The risks of slips, falls, and other common workplace injuries will be higher if alcoholic beverages are involved. You may want to volunteer as a designated driver, or have someone lined up to be yours. (And pay attention to the sturdiness of chairs and other equipment.)
Get Serious About Occupational Injury
It’s important to not let the humor of these moments get entirely in the way of the real injury risks they address. Some of the responsibility is yours, but employers need to do the heavy lifting.
If you’ve suffered any of the common workplace injuries discussed above, contact the expert personal injury lawyers at the May Firm today. We can help you deal with insurance claims, advise you on filing an OSHA complaint if necessary, and assist you in pursuing any damages to which you’re entitled.
