You do not need to work in a “dangerous” occupation such as forestry, construction or heavy industry to get sick or injured at work. Even offices contain hazards that could require employees to need costly medical treatment and time off work.
Georgia requires all companies with more than three employees to hold workers’ compensation insurance. This should ensure that getting ill or injured at work does not cost you financially. Despite this, you will still suffer pain and inconvenience if something happens.
Understanding what dangers may be lurking can help you avoid them
Here are some things to consider:
- Your ears: While working at a desk is unlikely to have the same noise as working with chainsaws or printing presses, offices can still be noisy enough to harm your health. This can happen due to internal noise, such as many people talking on the phone or external noise, such as construction work going on next door.
- Your eyesight: Working at a computer can take a toll on your eyes over time, especially if the office lighting is wrong or your screen gets a lot of glare.
- Your back and neck: A poorly set up desk and chair can leave you with long term back or neck pain
- Your hands, wrists and arms: Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) are another thing that can occur if your workstation ergonomics are off.
Claiming workers’ compensation is not always easy, especially if you claim for RSIs or migraines rather than injuries that occurred in a one-off accident. Getting help to file your claim increases your chance of success.
