Posted on May 30th, 2023

For sure, workplaces have various dangerous tools or instruments and many hidden safety hazards that can cause workplace injuries to employees. Fortunately, there is a visible decrease in workplace injuries due to the implementation of health and safety measures. However, instead of all safety measures, we can’t always avoid accidents. Therefore, it is essential to know about injuries that require immediate medical assistance, including stitches.

What to Look for in a Cut Requiring Stitches:

A cut is also called a laceration and is different from abrasions and avulsions. A bruise is a surface wound, while avulsion is when a piece of skin is torn away. A laceration can occur at any part of your body, and it can be of different lengths and depths.

Some lacerations don’t require stitches. However, it would help to consider the following things while determining whether a cut needs stitches or urgent medical treatment. Includes,

1. If there appear bone, tendon, muscle, or fatty tissues.
2. Severe bleeding that doesn’t stop even after ten minutes.
3. If the cut is on the face.
4. Cause of injury; whether collisions, fall or slip, any utensil or sharp tool.
5. The laceration is too broad and can’t be held back by applying pressure.
6. Presence of debris like glass in the wound.

What is the Size of the Cut?

The size of the cut is vital to be considered. If a deep laceration remains untreated, it can be infectious. Most of the time, workplace injuries are deep enough. The question is, how can we determine whether the cut is deep?

The National Library of Medicine stated that a cut is considered deep if it is more than a quarter-inch in depth. For rough estimation, a quarter-inch may be equivalent to or smaller than the diameter of a pinky nail. Thus, if you have received any deep cuts during work, as mentioned above, immediately report to the manager so that you can get medical treatment.

In addition, a cut needs stitches for sure if you can see visible bone, tendon, or muscle tissues and blood vessels.

How to Determine If You Need Stitches?

For sure, it is best to seek a healthcare provider if you receive workplace injuries. However, if there is no nearby hospital and you have to determine whether to go for immediate treatment or not. In such a situation, you can identify the condition of a laceration by considering the following points. Including,

Quantity of Blood Loss:

A cut requires stitching if it bleeds excessively and you find it difficult to stop it even after applying direct pressure. Furthermore, see if the bleeding stops automatically after 10 minutes and if there starts the formation of a clot. If it doesn’t happen, it’s clear that your wound is deep enough and needs stitches. The situation can be difficult if blood squirts out of the cut, which indicates that one of your arteries has been injured.

Location of Laceration on Body:

Injury on any part of the body can be severe if untreated. However, some of your body parts are highly sensitive such as the eyes, genitals, face, head, and joints. Thus, if you receive an injury on these sensitive parts, you should immediately report to the supervisor for quick medical assistance. Furthermore, cuts on locations like the abdomen, chest, and neck also require medical emergency. In short, it is necessary to get proper treatment in case of injury. Otherwise, even a tiny cut or laceration can be infectious and dangerous.

The Cause of Laceration:

While working in a workplace with heavy and sharp tools, there exist many possibilities that you may receive an injury. There can be various types of workplace injuries. Includes,

• Slip, trips, and falls
• The explosion of any chemical material
• Get stuck in a machinery
• Get injured by sharp tools
• Collisions and crashes
• Vehicular accidents, etc

The severity of a cut can also be dependent on the cause of injury. Apply an antiseptic to the wound to prevent infection. Furthermore, visit the doctor if there is severe damage, such as deep cuts, profound bleeding, etc.

Signs of Infection:

As discussed earlier, even a minor injury can be infectious if untreated. In case of infection, you require additional medical treatments to control the spread of infection. Therefore, it is essential to know about the signs and symptoms of wound infection.

Some common signs indicate the occurrence of infection in the cut. Includes,

• Inflammation
• Redness
• Pus formation
• Extreme pain
• Fever
• Soreness
• Drainage of fluid from the wound
• Red streaks around the cut that may spread to a larger area

How to Treat the Cut?

If you get in contact with a workplace injury, it is best to seek medical help for proper treatment. However, if there is no nearby hospital available, it is essential to know how to treat a laceration.

Therefore, the following are some essential first aid tips for treating injuries. Includes,

• Bandage the wound with a clean cloth.
• Apply direct pressure on the cut to stop bleeding.
• Place the injured part in an elevated position above the heart to lessen blood flow.
• If blood is spurting from the cut, cover it with a clean cloth and apply pressure for continuous 10 minutes without any break. Don’t replace the fabric if it is filled with blood but add more layers of clothes on it and maintain the pressure.
• Gently rinse the wound with water to remove debris after the bleeding stops.

Workplace injuries are common, and anybody can meet an occupational accident. Thus, it is necessary to have awareness about handling any injury or laceration. Hence, a better right away first aid can be very significant in further treatment.