Every June is National Safety Month. Started nearly three decades ago, National Safety Month is an annual reminder that workplace safety is vital to worker health. For both employers and employees, National Safety Month shines a light on what everyone can do to ensure workplace safety.
Employers are encouraged to follow the National Safety Month weekly schedule to highlight different workplace injuries. Above all, workplace safety is vital to your ability to do your job and financially support yourself. If you suffer workplace injuries, you may be able to get compensation under your employer’s workers’ compensation policy.
National Safety Month Schedule
During the four weeks of June, national safety month provides a template schedule for employers to discuss workplace safety with their employees. Employers can provide their employees with information reminding them how to stay safe at work.
- Week 1: Musculoskeletal Disorders: These are a leading cause of workplace injuries, leaving countless workers out of work and making it difficult for them to support themselves
- Week 2: Workplace Impairment: When workers are drunk or under the influence of drugs, even prescription medication, it can present unique hazards to themselves and their colleagues
- Week 3: Injury Prevention: The best way to keep everyone safe is to eliminate injuries through assessing and managing risks at work
- Week 4: Slips, Trips, and Falls: Reducing injuries by taking safety precautions to keep workers safe from these common workplace hazards will make for a better environment for everyone
Companies are also encouraged to conduct safety meetings. While this is something an employer should do regularly, especially if they operate in a high-risk industry, at least holding a safety meeting during June will help remind employees of the steps they can take to keep themselves and their colleagues safe at work.
On a more regular basis, employers should send out reminders to all employees, giving them tips on how to stay safe. This can be an email or even a post on a company bulletin board. These tips can be a good and constant reminder about how employees can protect themselves.
Ultimately, it is the duty of employers to ensure their workers have a safe and healthful workplace. If an employer does not take workplace safety seriously or they fail to adhere to guidelines and requirements, workers can get injured.
Workers’ Compensation
Even if your employer follows the national safety month guidelines and takes appropriate steps to ensure worker safety, accidents can and do still happen. Unfortunately, that means you could be stuck with battling severe pain and dealing with medical bills, all while being unable to work and financially support yourself. Luckily, you have an option to help you: workers’ compensation.
With few exceptions, every employer in the country is required to carry workers’ compensation coverage. This is a type of no-fault insurance coverage providing certain benefits to workers injured on the job. Under these policies, you are entitled to benefits unless you were not at work when the injury happened or you intentionally injured yourself.
What does it mean to be “at work”? This is the subject of much debate when you file your claim. There are some cut and dry examples: if you work in a warehouse and you are using a forklift when it tips over, your injuries are most likely covered under workers’ compensation because you were at work. Alternately, if you are a delivery driver who uses your vehicle for both work and personal reasons, and you get into a car accident traveling to your child’s school event, that is probably not covered under your employer’s workers’ compensation policy.
While these examples are clear, most cases live somewhere in between. That is why it can be beneficial to partner with a trusted legal advisor who can help you make your case and work toward getting maximum benefits.
If your workers’ compensation claim is approved, you can get compensation to cover your:
- Medical bills
- Lost income
That is all. The unfortunate reality of workers’ compensation coverage is that it provides you the bare minimum, and sometimes not even that much. The positive is that workers’ compensation has a lower bar than other legal options. However, it might be worth exploring those options, especially if you were injured because of someone else’s negligence.
Other Legal Options
While workers’ compensation benefits may cover your basic and bare minimum needs, if you were injured because of someone else’s negligence, you may be able to collect additional compensation. Be aware that, in most cases, you cannot file a personal injury claim against your employer, only against third parties.
Consider the delivery driver example above. If that accident was caused by another driver running a red light, for example, you could file a personal injury claim for damages against the other driver. If successful, you could receive compensation for:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of life enjoyment
These are non-economic damages and, unlike the economic damages workers’ compensation covers, these amounts can provide you with a financial cushion. Depending on the severity of your injuries and the amount of time you will spend out of work, you can receive substantial financial compensation that helps you weather the storm.
A Camden County Workers’ Compensation Lawyer at Pietras Saracino Smith & Meeks, LLP, Helps You Get the Benefits You Need
National safety month provides a great reminder that everyone needs to put safety first at work. Even taking all appropriate measures, workers can still find themselves in dangerous situations. If you have been injured at work, speak with an experienced Camden County workers’ compensation lawyer at Pietras Saracino Smith & Meeks, LLP. Contact us today at 856-761-3773 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation. With offices in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, we proudly serve our neighbors in Camden, Cinnaminson, Delran, Maple Shade, Pennsauken, and South Jersey.
