It's no question that working in construction can be dangerous. Heavy equipment, extreme heights and explosive materials make crush, fall and burn injuries a common occurrence. But there are other factors that can make construction sites just as dangerous as any heavy piece of equipment.
4 Factors that make construction sites dangerous
Causes of repetitive strain injuries in the workplace
When you think of a workplace injury, you may first imagine an accident with immediate consequence. For example, slipping and falling can cause you to immediately break a bone or suffer a concussion. However, not all occupational injuries happen this way. Some develop over time and can sneak up on you.
Repetitive strain injuries occur as a result of repeating motions. These motions can place stress on your tendons, ligaments, nerves, joints and muscles. Understanding the causes of these injuries can help you prevent them. Additionally, you can recognize them more easily and seek compensation as soon as possible.
Top 4 reasons ladder accidents occur
When you go to work, you assume you will arrive back home safely at the end of the day. If your job duties require you to regularly or occasionally work on a ladder, though, you may be in for a surprise. That is, you may sustain a serious injury (or worse) when working from a ladder.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year, around 500,000 individuals injure themselves when working with ladders. Even worse, roughly 300 individuals die in accidents involving a ladder. If you want to stay safe on the job, you should understand why ladder accidents tend to occur. Here are four common reasons:
The number one cause of workplace deaths
Some occupations are much more dangerous than others. Construction workers, loggers, fishers, firefighters and more constantly put their lives on the line. While these jobs come with a high risk of accident, injury and fatality, the hazards workers face tend to be specific to the profession.
When it comes to all industries, the leading cause of death in the workplace is actually motor vehicle crashes, reveals the National Safety Council. Training in defensive driving is key in reducing fatalities.
Key facts about repetitive stress injuries
Consistently repeating the same actions at work can take a toll on your body. Though it is a condition that develops over time from regular work activities, it may still be possible to seek and receive workers' compensation in such cases.
To have a successful claim, it is important to fully understand what it is you seek. In particular, you should know a few facts about the condition itself.
Can vision problems qualify for workers' comp?
Workers' compensation laws can be tricky to pin down. There are drastically different laws in Louisiana concerning workers' comp depending on whether you are an actual employee or an independent contractor.
The law also becomes murky when trying to determine whether an injury occurred at work. Many people have jobs that put them at risk of vision issues. Eye problems can severely impact a person's life, and if it occurred at work, then that person should pursue compensation.
Workers' comp for carpal tunnel
Louisiana actually has one of the lowest rates of worker injury in the country. However, the state spends more than many other states when compensating employees for injuries that do occur. Louisiana has an outdated fee schedule and expensive medical treatments that increase the overall costs of workers' compensation.
Numerous workplace injuries still occur in the state every year, but many people develop injuries without ever telling their employers. Carpal tunnel develops over time due to repetitive motions in the wrists and hands. A lot of people assume it is a normal occurrence after working for a certain number of years, but the truth is that you can get workers' comp for this injury. You should consult with an attorney to see if your symptoms could qualify you for a claim.
Tips for preventing office injuries
When you think of a dangerous workplace, you may imagine a construction site or coal mine. However, even desk jobs can be risky. Just because you work in an office building does not mean you are free from workplace hazards.
There are plenty of ways you can get hurt while working in an office. If this happens, you should consider filing a compensation claim. Follow the guidelines below to prevent office accidents as much as possible.
4 common injuries sustained by truck drivers
The trucking business is booming across the nation, and Louisiana's ports see a high volume of trucking traffic. With long hours and miles logged across the country, people who drive tractor-trailers can sustain injuries and usually do at higher rates.
Truckers experience a high number of workers' compensation injuries. The long hours, lack of sleep, sedentary nature of the work and improper diet make drivers more susceptible to injury.
What medical conditions qualify for disability?
A range of workplace injuries occurs every year in Louisiana. In some cases, the employee only needs to take a few weeks off work to recover. In other instances, the employee needs to take years off due to disability. To protect their rights, workers need to follow the disability requirements precisely.
When going through this process, it can be confusing figuring out whether your condition qualifies you for disability. Fortunately, guidelines exist to help you navigate this field. You deserve to get the workers' comp benefits you need to protect your health and your family's well-being.
