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Common Injuries Leading To Workers’ Compensation Claims
When you work for an employer, they need to keep you safe while you are on the job. Unfortunately, injuries at work may not be an irregular occurrence depending on what type of work you do.
Should you work a particularly dangerous job, coverage for work-related injuries, illnesses, and diseases is essential to ensuring that you will be compensated if anything goes wrong for you. This is called workers? compensation and it can be used to cover any expenses for medical treatment and recovering lost earning potential.
In particular, most workers? compensation cases can be separated into one of a few specific types of injuries. Let?s go over them now so you can understand if your job puts you at risk of encountering a related wound.
Muscle Strains And Ligament Sprains
Muscle strains and ligament sprains are consistently some of the most prevalent types of on-the-job injuries.
When you sprain or strain yourself, it means that a muscle or ligament has been overstretched or torn. Strains and sprains are closely related, but the part of your body affected is the difference. Sprains affect the ligaments in your body while strains focus on muscles and tendons.
With this in mind, muscles and ligaments are often overexerted as a result of highly repetitive movements and incorrect posture or form. In the workplace, many jobs in manufacturing tend to revolve around performing the same task over and over and this can easily result in injuries.
Bodily Bruising
Another significant source of workers? compensation claims comes from bodily bruising.
Bruises and contusions generally happen after some sort of fall or if you are hit by something. Examples of this include slipping on an oily floor or being smacked by a forklift.
The issue with these types of injuries is that the extent of your wound is not clear and you may think that you are okay to work when you are seriously injured. Contusions can be indicative of a more severe problem like internal bleeding.
Should you ever fall or sustain an impact while working, do not underestimate its severity, especially if you are hit on the head.
Cuts And Stabs
Cuts and stab wounds are also frequently experienced in the workplace.
These types of injuries are obvious and result in openly bleeding wounds. Most commonly, they are a result of using sharp tools that are either poorly maintained or when handling dangerous materials.
A frequent example of this is the use of power machinery like a circular saw. This tool comes with a blade guard and this should prevent any injuries, but a poorly adjusted or malfunctioning guard won?t stop an injury.
Not only do open wounds pose immediate hazards, but they can also become infected if not properly treated. Because of this, any workplace injury that breaks your skin barrier and results in blood must be promptly addressed.
Preventing Work Injuries
While your employer is responsible for providing a safe workplace, this doesn?t always happen and it is never worth experiencing an injury if you can avoid it.
Many work-related injuries are sustained in ways that can be prevented with better techniques and the use of safety equipment. This means that you should always use gloves, goggles, masks, harnesses, boots, and any other recommended apparel for the job you?re doing.
Additionally, make sure to consider your overall health to ensure you?re working at your maximum capacity. If you are tired, hungry, or otherwise distracted, you can make a mistake that causes a serious injury. You should also remember to hydrate and take frequent breaks, especially when dealing with repetitive work.
Don?t get overly comfortable and underestimate the risk of any machinery, tools, or other hazards you work with. If something looks wrong or questionable, don?t proceed without ensuring that it is safe first.
Closing Thoughts
Workplace injuries happen with alarming frequency despite employers having an obligation to keep their workers safe. Even with safety standards in place, accidents can still happen when issues like overexertion and improper use occur.
In particular, workplace injuries tend to result in a few specific types of injuries. This includes muscle strains and ligament sprains from repetitive movements, bodily bruising from impacts and falls, and cuts and stab wounds from sharp objects.
Should your workplace lack adequate safety standards, do not engage in activities that might endanger you. Inform your employer and wait for safer conditions. If you do experience a workplace injury, workers? compensation should be available for you to recover lost wages and help pay for medical treatment.
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