It’s probably no surprise to learn that people who work long shifts, irregular shifts, and a great deal of overtime are often more vulnerable to injuries on the job. They will want to file a Workers Compensation Claim to replace the money they can’t make while they are off of work as well as for any medical or therapy expenses related to the injury.
Programs and Restrictions
Researchers encourage employers to institute programs and restrictions that help prevent injuries above and beyond regulations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. For instance, employees should be allowed to take a certain number of breaks for a specific length of time even if they are sitting at a desk. Lunch breaks should not be skipped. Employees should not be expected to work back-to-back shifts, which can lead to workers putting in 16 or more hours in a row.
Examples of Occupations With Irregular and Long Shifts
A related factor is that many of the occupations requiring long and irregular shifts are in industries where the risk of injury is already higher than normal. Examples include manufacturing, construction, and over-the-road trucking. Erratic work shifts in trucking are connected with fatigue behind the wheel. Twelve-hour shifts in power plants are common, as is the swing shift in a paper mill. Many nurses work 12-hour shifts, and many employees in food processing are expected to stay on the job for at least 10 hours.
The Night Shift
In addition, research has found that people who work the night shift are more likely to file a Workers Compensation Claim than daytime employees are. Most men and women are not night owls, and they can have trouble staying fully alert at 3:00 a.m. That’s a distinct hazard if they are operating machinery or doing other forms of physical labor.
Workers employed by a company who run into trouble having their claim approved may want to consult with a lawyer such as Chris Richard Attorney. Those who have been working as a contractor may have to approach the problem through personal injury law, and this can be done by the same attorney. You can also watch video on their YouTube channel.
