As workplaces continue to struggle with COVID-19 restrictions and identify new and challenging workplace hazards there is new data coming out about the early part of the pandemic in 2020. The new data suggests that the workplace injury that caused just the 6th most injuries took over the top spot in 2020. This type of injury was exposure to harmful substances or environments.
The reporting out on this workplace injury includes in it exposure to COVID-19 which left many people out of work for extended amounts of time, especially in 2020. Those who experienced loss of time at work were able to file a Connecticut workers’ compensation claim here in Connecticut due to the Governor’s executive order that included exposure to and contraction of COVID-19 as a workplace injury for those who were at their jobs in the early part of 2020.
The category of exposure to harmful substances and environments includes quite a large number of exposures including the following;
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Radiation and noise exposure
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Exposure to electricity
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The exposure to extreme air and water pressure changes
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Oxygen deficiencies
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Exposure to temperature extremes
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Exposure to other harmful substances (this is the area where COVID-19 is categorized.)
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Exposure to a traumatic or stressful event
This category of injury, pre-pandmic, was not even in the top 5 of work-related injuries in the U.S., but since exposure to COVID-19 is considered a part of the category in 2020 it rose to the #1 work related injury in the country. Along with exposure to harmful substances or environments, the top 3 work-related injuries included overexertion and bodily reaction and slips, trips, and falls. These top 3 work-related injuries accounted for 75% of all work-related injuries that resulted in employees taking time away from the workplace in 2020.
Exposure to harmful substances or environments made up a total of 36% of all work-related injuries that resulted in time away from the workplace in 2020. This was followed closely behind by overexertion and bodily reaction which made up 22% of all injuries and slips, trips, and falls which accounted for 18% of all workplace injuries.
Experts expect that as vaccines become more available the number of injuries associated with exposure will decline and return to the 5th or 6th spot on the list of work-place injuries, a list which generally remains fairly stable over time.
While the state of Connecticut does not consider COVID-19 to be an acceptable reason for filing a Connecticut workers’ compensation claim anymore, it will continue to be an injury/ailment that may keep workers out of work for some time to come.
If you find yourself injured at work you may need an experienced board certified workers’ compensation attorney to review your claim. Contact our office and one of our attorneys will speak with you and help you navigate the claims process.
