Workers’ Compensation: Florida Warehouse Workers Are At Risk
There are dangers present in any work environment, but warehouse workers are subject to numerous hazards on the job that can lead to injuries. For example, even picking up a box as part of one’s job duties can lead to a back injury. While workers can suffer injuries on the job in other work environments, warehouse employees are more at risk for injuries than many other professions.
Some of these risks include:
- Fall Risks: There are many fall hazards present in a warehouse environment. For example, a worker can fall from a higher level to a lower level, fall off a ladder or lifting device, trip over a hose or slip from a spill, or items can fall from overhead and injure a worker.
- Lifting Risks: Although there are forklifts and other lifting equipment that are used in factories and warehouses to make life easier, sometimes manual lifting is needed. When a worker lifts a heavy item the wrong way, a painful back injury can occur.
- Forklift Risks: Employees in warehouses and factories often use forklifts to move heavy items. However, sometimes this heavy equipment can become dangerous if it is used improperly and employees can get hurt.
- Fire/Explosion Risks: When chemicals are used in the work environment, they are sometimes stored improperly or handled incorrectly. This can lead to an explosion, fire, and serious injuries for warehouse and factory workers.
These aforementioned unique risks associated with warehouse work can lead to disabling injuries for distribution center workers, factory workers, assembly plant workers, loading dock workers, forklift operators, maintenance workers, mechanics, and other warehouse employees who work in these types of environments.
When any worker suffers physical harm that causes him or her the inability to work, the injured employee should receive workers’ compensation benefits in Florida. These benefits are in place to provide injured employees with medical and wage benefits for any on the job injury. However, many injured workers think that work-related accidents were their fault and don’t realize that any type of on the job injury can qualify for workers’ compensation.
Fault does not have to be proven in order to get the benefits injured workers deserve. However, there are bosses who might tell their workers differently. No employee should feel badly to get the benefits he or she deserves after being injured on the job.
If you have been injured at work in South Florida and anyone tells you differently, you need to learn about your rights to workers’ compensation benefits. Contact an experienced Broward County workers’ comp attorney to find out about the benefits you are entitled to. Call the Law Office of David Benenfeld for a free consultation at 954-677-0155 today.
