A lot of people today live with chronic pain. It’s not healthy, but it’s the new normal. Unfortunately, this pain can become a serious problem in the workplace. Many employers don’t really know what to do about it either. The law is clear about prescription drug use on the job, but employers also don’t want employees working through pain and potentially injuring themselves.
Pain Causes Lost Productivity
When someone is in pain, they don’t work quite as well as when they are pain-free. And yet, a new study from the American Osteopathic Association shows that 1 in 4 workers suffers from some kind of ongoing (chronic) or frequent periodic episodes of pain.
The same study found that 3 in 10 workers lose 2, or more, hours a month due to pain stemming from a work-related injury. And, injuries don’t have to be major incidents like falls or broken bones. Simply working at a computer for 8 hours a day is enough to cause some workers to develop pain in the wrists that prevents a normal range of motion in the arm.
This is because typing inherently forces the shoulder to roll forward, putting constant stress on the shoulder joint. Add to that the fact that many employees hunch over and have bad posture, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Chronic Pain Can Also Increase Operating Costs
Chronic pain can increase operating costs too. How? When an employee is injured on the job, even from something like repetitive strain, he or she can file a workers’ compensation claim. Philly disability lawyer offices see this kind of thing all the time. Office workers who sit at a desk all day are also some of the most productive employees employers have.
And yet, when they’re injured, they become one of the most expensive employees. The increased costs, due to lost productivity eventually leads to an increase in workers’ compensation insurance premiums with each claim. Pretty soon, operational costs include substantial workers’ compensation premiums and new hire training. Not good.
Chronic Pain Could Become A Major Legal Liability
Chronic pain can also become a major legal liability if it becomes an epidemic at your company. Employees who sit all day, for example, are at an increased risk of having back and even heart, problems. The heart problems come later on in life – mostly from leading a sedentary life.
Yet, in the future, these problems may be pushed back onto you, as the employer, for contributing those problems. This is especially true if you do not offer employees options for moving around frequently during the day or provide a combination of standing and sitting desks for ergonomics.
Ultimately, the future legal liabilities are unknown. But, what is known is the liability from injuries caused by repetitive stress sore or injured backs, slips and falls, and other accidents that happen while on company property.
These are totally preventable, however, and any responsible employer would do well to look into ways to reduce or eliminate liability before it becomes a legal nightmare.
Aaron Friedman, Esq., is a workers’ compensation lawyer with over 25 years experience under his belt. He’s always on the lookout for legal news and information, and he then enjoys sharing it with others. You can read his informative posts on a variety of websites online.
