One of the largest occupations that provide employees with living salaries is warehouse work. Warehouse jobs often require employees to handle inventory and goods shipped around the United States.
Many warehouse workers are paid a good salary. However, an injury could jeopardize their job. Employees injured while working may be eligible for medical benefits under workers’ compensation. Here are a few injuries that may cause employees to file a workers’ comp claim:
Forklifts
When in the right hands, forklifts can be versatile tools that ease a lot of the work for warehouse employees. Forklifts require training to be used safely. If an untrained or reckless forklift operator makes the wrong decision, it could cause serious injuries to others. An accident from a forklift could cause blunt force trauma and puncture wounds.
Hazardous chemicals
Shipments should be appropriately marked with signs that indicate whether they contain any hazardous chemicals. If these chemicals were released, then they could injure workers. A shipment could release dangerous gasses and liquids if a shipment is damaged during transport or while being handled by employees. Employees who are exposed to hazardous chemicals could suffer from burns and internal health conditions.
Falling shipments
Many shipments contain hundreds of pounds of commercial goods. Employees have to be careful that these shipments don’t fall on them. A shipment could fall and injure an employee if a shelving unit was damaged, if a shipment was improperly stacked in a transport vehicle or if a shipment was unsafely handled by a forklift operator. An employee who suffers from a falling shipment could experience broken bones, internal bleeding and fatal injuries.
Slip and falls
Warehouse workers are prone to slip-and-fall injuries. A slip and fall could happen because the warehouse floor had oil or wet spots or there were exposed cords. A slip-and-fall accident could cause severe spine and head injuries.
A workplace injury doesn’t mean a worker is immediately eligible for workers’ compensation. Employees need to take the right steps to prepare for a workers’ comp claim and receive their medical benefits. Injured workers who understand their legal rights may have a better outcome as they apply for workers’ comp.
