the term “workplace injury” covers not just injuries that occur on a job site, but also ailments and illnesses that an employee could suffer because of their workplace conditions. it may be surprising that the following are considered work-related injuries:
● on the job injuries occurring because of falling objects, slips and falls, or vehicular accidents.
● repetitive actions that result in an injury, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or wear and tear on the joints.
● pre-existing conditions, like asthma, that get worse because of workplace conditions.
● a previous workplace injury that gets reaggravated and results in another impairment, like a back injury.
common causes of workplace injuries
overuse injuries, slip and fall injuries, and injuries resulting from contact with tools and equipment are the three main causes of workplace injuries. together, they represent 84% of injuries that lead to missed work, according to the national safety council.
overexertion and overuse injuries are non-impact injuries resulting from physical effort often involving lifting, pulling, pushing, or carrying. these types of injuries also include injuries resulting from stress or strain put on the body due to the repetitive motions. common repetitive motions in the workplace include typing or the repetitive use of tools like screwdrivers, knives, and medical instruments. the back is the part of the body most often affected by these types of injuries, resulting in as many as 12 lost days of work per year.
slips, trip, or fall injuries cause sprains, strains, and muscle tears, and can result in as many as twelve lost days of work each year. these injuries are often caused by slippery surfaces in the workplace. slips are more likely to occur when employees rush, or wear the wrong kind of shoes to work. another cause of workplace slip and fall injuries is lack of traction on the ground or flooring of the work site.
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contact with object or equipment injuries typically occurs in agriculture, warehousing, and construction, and causes nearly 24 workplace injuries per 10,000 full-time employees, according to the national safety council, resulting in five lost days of work each year. this type of injury could include a moving object hitting a worker, a worker including bumping into, stepping on, or being pushed into an object, or a worker’s body being pinched or crushed by equipment.
occupational diseases in the workplace
workers can file a workers compensation claim for a disease if they can prove that the disease was caused by or made worse by their workplace or industry. occupational diseases are covered under the workers’ compensation act. to be covered, it must be proven that the employee contracted the disease, or it worsened because of workplace conditions.
some types of occupational diseases:
● blood-borne diseases such as tuberculosis and hepatitis. (nurses, healthcare workers)
● cardiac and lung disease (firemen)
● pneumoconiosis and silicosis (coal miners)
● chemical poisoning, such as lead, arsenic, asbestos, mercury (workers exposed in construction or chemical industries)
if you have been injured or have a disease that has been made worse by working conditions, contact the workplace injury attorneys in philadelphia at the law office of jared s. zafran to discuss your legal options.
