Jun 23, 2024 | Work Injuries, Workers' Compensation
The days, weeks, and months, following a work injury can be extremely stressful. The process of a worker’s comp injury, from paperwork, appointments, and requirements, can make your days feel long. Not to mention, these things can bring worry over receiving those necessary benefits. Not to mention, recovery, and the feelings that come along with it. There’s no denying that when it comes to work injury stress, there are plenty of different ways that it can creep in. So, how do you cope with it? And what can you do to manage your feelings, and ease your mind?
Work Injury Stress: Tips for Coping
Talk to a Worker’s Compensation Attorney
Along with a work injury, comes a lot of financial stress and pressure. Your work injury likely will prevent you from being able to perform the responsibilities that are set forth by your position. For this reason, you’ll likely need some period of time spent away from your position. While, with a work injury, you should receive benefits it can be daunting to watch all of those expenses add up. Furthermore, if you notice that your employer is trying to deny the compensation you deserve in any capacity, you should speak with an attorney. While, in many cases, you won’t have to worry about your employer trying to get over on you— that is not always the case. So, with cases that seem to be headed in this direction, or any major injury case, you should speak with an attorney.
Educate yourself on the injury
Your doctors are knowledgeable, and there to answer the questions you have about your injury, and resulting issues that might arise. So, make a list of questions, make use of your time. After all, you’ll be spending quite a bit of time in the doctor’s office following an injury. Furthermore, do your own research from reliable sources. It’s easy to feel out of control when it comes to a work injury, being that you’re having to meet worker’s comp requirements. So, getting information is one way to reduce stress, and take control.
Build a Relationship With Your Doctor
This doctor is not the doctor you’re used to seeing. However, this is the doctor who will be getting up close and personal with your injury. So, build trust with that doctor. It can be easy to feel distrustful of a doctor you had no control over choosing. But, you have the chance to ask questions, take notes, and follow their recovery plan. You’ll be spending a lot of time with the doctor. So, finding ways to trust them and their process can make a big difference in how you feel overall.
Rely on the Support of Family and Friends
Since this can be such a difficult time, it’s important to reach out and accept help from others. Sometimes, allowing people to help us can be one of the hardest aspects of dealing with an injury. However, fighting against it will only add to your worries and increase your work injury stress. So, try to allow your family and friends to be the support system you need.
May 14, 2024 | Work Injuries, Workers' Compensation
Many workplaces make use of computers, especially in offices. However, all that typing and clicking can eventually lead to carpal tunnel. This could seriously get in the way of you doing your job effectively. However, there are some ways that you can help protect yourself…
Carpal Tunnel: Repetitive Stress Injuries
Use less pressure
Often times, when we get used to doing something, we never give it a second thought. One of these areas can be how much force we use. For instance, you could grip a tool too hard when you don’t need to. Or, in this case, you use too much force when typing when gentle keystrokes are all you need.
Using too much pressure and force when typing isn’t the best thing for your hands and wrists. Doing so will add a lot of unnecessary strain on them which could lead to carpal tunnel. Plus, it’ll keep your hands tense, further complicating things. Instead, try to ease off the pressure and keep your hands more relaxed while you work.
Take a break
It’s always important to give yourself a break when you need it. This is pretty easy to see if you work at a job that requires a lot of physical activity. If you don’t take a break, your job quality can suffer, and your chance of injury can go up. However, for people who work desk jobs, this can be harder to realize.
While a desk job might not be a strenuous as other jobs, it still presents hazards like carpal tunnel. That’s why it’s still important to take the occasional break. A quick 10-15 minute break every hour, for example, is a good idea. Plus, you’ll also be giving not just your hands a break, but other areas like your eyes one as well.
Do some stretches
Part of preventing carpal tunnel is keeping your hands nice and loose. A great way to do this is by doing stretches. As it turns out, there’s plenty of different hand and wrist stretches you can do at the comfort of your own desk.
One of the nice things about these stretches is that they compliment your breaks quite well. These stretches are quick, easy, and can be done at nearly any time. Doing them will help you keep your hands loose for the rest of your working day.
Apr 7, 2024 | Work Injuries, Workers' Compensation
Every profession comes with it’s own set of risks. However, when you think of work-related injuries, you likely picture broken bones, falling materials, burns, or something of the like. However, work-related injuries come in all forms and fashions. Take, for example, computer eye strain. Computer eye strain originates from an obvious source— spending your workday staring into a computer. In fact, computer eye strain has become a major job-related complaint for computer workers. So, how do know when you’re on the receiving end of computer eye problems? What can you do to prevent it? And lastly, what can you do to treat the damage?
Computer Eye Problems: Common Computer Worker Injuries
Prevention and Management
Comprehensive eye exams are a necessity when you spend most of your days in front of the computer. Therefore, it’s important that you take measures to prevent damage, but also to document changes in your eyesight in case of injury. When seeing an eye doctor, make sure to tell them how often you work on a computer, how much time you spend there, and they can test accordingly.
Take a break every now and then
.rd documents, or something of the like. In doing so, you might forget to blink or rest your eyes from time to time. Eye doctors have a “20-20-20” rule that they encourage people prone to computer eye problems to follow. Once every 20 minutes, look away from your screen, at an object 20+ feet away, for at least 20 second. Doing this 20-20-20 exercise gives your eyes a moment to relax, and reduce fatigue.
Modifying eyewear
If you wear glasses, or even if you don’t, consider introducing customized glasses into your daily uniform. Computer glasses can help to reduce or eliminate computer eye problems by reducing exposure to harmful blue light that radiates from digital devices. This is a feature that can be added onto your existing glasses, or you can get a specific pair that only have this function.
In short, computer eye problems are extremely common for people who work primarily from the computer. However, that’s not to say every computer worker is will end up with eye issues. But, you have to take the time and put the work in to avoid it. See your eye doctor, express concern, and keep record of how your eyes improve, or worsen over time.
Jan 14, 2024 | Work Injuries, Workers' Compensation
Eye injuries are surprisingly common in the workplace. Many of these injuries tend to be avoidable if proper safety measures are taken. Being aware of eye injury causes and what you can do to protect yourself can help keep you safe at the workplace…
Eye Injuries: Causes & Protection
Common causes
Different workplaces may have different causes of eye injuries. For example, workers who do a lot of cutting or sawing will have to watch for flying bits of metal or wood. Meanwhile, workers who handle chemicals will run the risk of these chemicals potentially entering their eyes. Even light can be a risk if a worker is handling lasers or other high-intensity light sources.
These hazards can also show up in combination with each other. This further increases the chances of a worker receiving an eye injury. This is why it’s especially important for workers to take steps to protect themselves.
Remove risks before working
The best kind of protection against eye injuries is being aware of what could be a risk in the first place. It’s important to preform safety checks of your workplace before you start your work. This will not only let you spot and remove potential eye hazards, but other hazards as well.
For those risks you can’t remove, try to use some other safety options available to you. For example, many machines will come with guards or screens. These can help you still see what you’re doing, while also having an added layer of protection if things go wrong.
Eye protection
Of course, there is always eye protection. Eye protection is the most preferred and commonly recommended way of preventing eye injuries. Eye protection will let you have that full control over your work while also keeping yourself safe.
The kind of eye protection you should use depends on the work you’re doing. Safety glasses can help keep your eyes safe from flying debris. Goggles will help protect your eyes when handling chemicals. If you’re working with intense light, you’ll want to make sure your eye protection also comes with UV protection as well.
Eye injuries are something that no worker wants to deal with. That’s why it’s crucial to know what you can do to keep yourself safe. Taking those steps to protect your eyes will ensure you can do your job safely and productively. Furthermore, if you are facing this type of injury (or any type of injury), it is important to make your employer aware and properly document your condition.
Nov 27, 2023 | Work Injuries, Workers' Compensation
As we move towards the winter months, winter workplace accidents become much more likely to happen. You might not consider how the different times of year can increase or decrease your chances of getting hurt. But, with each season comes different elements to prepare for. So, we’re here to help. Below, we’re going to make sense of some of the most common winter workplace accidents, and steps you can take as employees (and employers) to keep yourself, and others, safe from danger. As we all know, accidents do happen. However, by practicing caution and care, we can reduce the number of incidents dramatically…
Winter Workplace Accidents: Common Incidents and Prevention
Shivers and Slips
If you work outside frequently, you know how hot and cold it can get depending on the time of year. Therefore, wearing appropriate dress can keep you from overheating, getting frostbite, and receiving other weather-related traumas. In the winter months, wear gloves and thick jackets. You want to be able to brave the elements if you know you’ll be spending a lot of time amongst them. Furthermore, if you’re in a work area, make sure to wear slip resistant shoes. When there’s snow on the ground, or water, you might find that there are more areas in and outside that can be easy to slip on. So, keep your eyes peeled, and also keep your feet planted on the ground. Good traction goes a long way in doing just that.
Keeping Floors and Ground Slip Resistant
As we mentioned above, tracking in snow and water can become potentially disastrous for employees and employers. For this reason, having mats in place is essential to eliminating a few of those accidents. By placing proper mats near entry and exit ways, you encourage employees to dry off their feet before entering the workspace. In doing so, you reduce the number of potential fall spots without even making too much of an effort. Furthermore, shovel walkways and slick spots. In taking the time to clear walkways, you can protect your employees and even customers. While ice is outside of your control, a customer will often make their accident your responsibility to care for.
Allow for a bit more down time
When you’re working outside in the cold, having a moment to knock off that chill can go a long way in preventing winter workplace injuries. When the space you’re working in is unheated, take a moment. Warm those bones for a moment, and then get back to work. Making your safety a priority, or the safety of your employees, is key to preventing accidents.
Remember that accidents do, and will, happen
While we can take plenty of steps to prevent accidents, there will still be an ‘oops’ every now and then. If you, or one of your employees, faces a winter workplace accident, it’s important that you treat it with care. File a claim, see a doctor, and take the time to heal properly. Every accident is different, but the chance for a full recovery is something we all hope to see. We wish you luck in treating an injury, and offer our services if you find that you may need them.
Nov 26, 2023 | Work Injuries, Workers' Compensation
When it comes to on-the-job injuries, you don’t have to do something physically taxing to face them. In fact, many work injuries happen right inside of the office, or cubicle. Some of the more common office injuries come in the form of back, neck, and carpal tunnel injuries. These injuries vary greatly from injuries faced when working in, say, construction or a factory. This injuries typically occur because of long hours spent at a desk, hunched over a computer, and ignoring proper techniques for avoiding pain and injury. The fact of the matter is, there’s no real training when it comes to how to sit at your desk without pain. That’s where we come in. Below, you’ll find some methods for office ergonomics that can help prevent injury, and increase productivity.
Office Ergonomics: Prevent Office Space Injuries
Your Chair
One of the first places to begin office ergonomics is with your chair. Your chair supports your spine and sets the tone for how your back and neck will operate. Therefore, you want to make sure it offers firm support. If your chair is sinking in or giving, it may not be lending enough support. In addition, you want to adjust the height so your feet can touch the floor. Also, adjust the arm rests so your arm can rest comfortably by your sides. You want to be able to use proper posture while sitting at your desk.
Your Keyboard and Mouse
The next place you’ll want to implement office ergonomics is with your keyboard and mouse. These two little devices can be the cause of neck pain, arthritis, and carpal tunnel. So, you want to make sure you’re taking the steps to prevent these injuries. Begin by placing the keyboard within easy reach. Practice keeping your arms close to your body and your wrists out straight. In addition, make sure the keyboard is at a level equal to or slightly lower than the height of your elbows. You never want to bend your arm upwards to reach your keyboard or mouse. Also, try using shortcuts to reduce the amount of typing and clicking you must do with your hands.
Your Monitor
Possibly the most important part of office ergonomics is your monitor. Looking at a computer screen can be bad for your neck and back. Try to adjust the monitor so that you are neither looking down or up. Instead, you want it to be directly at eye level. Also, make sure it’s directly behind your keyboard so your whole body is facing one direction. You don’t want to have to strain or twist to see your monitor. In addition, try to keep it about an arm’s length away so you’re not straining your eyes with it being too close or far away.
The key thing to understand is that worker’s injuries can look quite different, depending on the setting within which you work. Therefore, you’ll want to create your own safety protocols that fit the setting that you work in. By taking the time to observe potential injuries, you can create methods for intervention and prevention.
