Health care is a dangerous profession. Anyone who comes into a hospital could have a dangerous disease that they could spread to others, including the people who work at the facility. Even if infection wasn’t a concern, there are many other safety concerns.
Health care workers have to put in long hours, deal with combative or addicted patients and handle dangerous substances. Some of them even have exposure to radiation or nuclear materials used to diagnose and treat patients with certain conditions.
Given how many risks there are in a medical setting, many people won’t find it surprising to learn that hospital workers have a higher-than-average risk of getting hurt at work. What is the leading cause of hospital worker injury on the job?
Bodily injury due to patient care or overexertion is the top risk
Among the top reported risks for hospital workers are slips and falls, contact with dangerous objects, exposure to dangerous substances and violence in the workplace. However, the employment risk responsible for 48% or nearly half of all lost-time incidents in medical settings is overexertion and bodily reaction.
This category of work injury applies to those who try to lift too much or move too fast. Getting a patient out of bed, moving equipment or lifting someone who has fallen could all lead to an overexertion injury. Strains, sprains, broken bones and connective tissue damage are all examples of overexertion injuries.
Medical workers suffering from overexertion likely need treatment for their injuries and disability benefits so that they can take time off to recover. Realizing that you need workers’ compensation benefits after a health care injury is the first step toward getting the support you require.
