On top of navigating through a world where you now need to keep your distance and protect yourself, you may also face additional risks at your workplace.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light a lot of problems in American society, but on top of navigating through a world where you now need to keep your distance and protect yourself, you may also face additional risks at your workplace.
It’s essential to be aware of the new potential risks you are facing and demand your employer provides a safer environment. Below, you’ll find some of the main work injury risks related to the pandemic.
1. The Obvious Risk of Contracting the Virus
First, there is the possibility of getting sick because you are going back to work, meaning you are now coming into contact with a lot of people, from coworkers to clients.
Your employer should provide masks and gloves to minimize any risks of getting the virus, though this may not be enough. Additionally, you should try your best to keep your distance from any individual you need to interact with and wash your hands multiple times a day.
2. New People, New Risks
Some businesses have had to bring in additional employees in order to meet the demands, such as supermarkets or service workers. One common recommendation for disease prevention during the pandemic is to lower the number of hours in an employee’s work schedule but to do that employers need to hire new people to run their activity.
New people often means a higher risk of workplace injury, as the new employees are still in the learning process and are bound to make mistakes. To make matters worse, the pressure the employer feels may make them shorten or even skip the training process in order to put the new employee at work as fast as possible. This increases the risk of injury for both new and old employees.
3. Stress and Other Mental Health Issues
To say that this pandemic is a stressful time is an understatement. On the one hand, you need to go back to your job and regain some financial security, but on the other hand, you likely want to protect yourself from the virus. This can lead to quite a lot of stress that can manifest in a lot of different ways, some of which can lead to injuries, such as feeling overwhelmed and not paying attention to what you’re doing.
4. At Home Injuries
Even if you are still able to work from home, it doesn’t mean you’re risk-free from injuries. Working from home can be the factor that increases your risks of certain workplace injuries or illnesses, as you may tend to be less cautious in your home environment that at your office.
St. Louis Workers Compensation Attorney
If you get injured at your place of work or become sick because of your job, you may be legally entitled to workers’ comp benefits. Speak with an experienced workers compensation attorney to learn more about your legal rights.