An annual report issued by Traveler’s Insurance revealed when most workplace injuries occur. Over 1/3 of all workplace injuries occur in an employee’s first year on the job. The study found that it didn’t matter the experience level of the employee or the age of the employee. This finding indicates that there is some work to be done to avoid Connecticut workers’ compensation claims in the first year of an employee’s time with a company.
After analyzing 1.5 million claims, the report found that 35% of all claims were filed by employees who had been on the job for a year or less. These injuries led to a significant number of lost workdays over the course of the five year study. Workers who filed claims in their first year on the job missed a total of 6 million days of work which amounted to 37% of all missed days due to workplace injuries over the period of the study.
The findings in this report emphasize the need for first year employees to be aware of the importance of training and safety protocols. If you are a first year employee you should pay particular attention to the following protocols that may be offered by your new employer;
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Onboarding materials. Often when you are joining a new company you will be offered paperwork to read through and sign off on, in this paperwork there are often important details about safety protocols on the job. It can be tempting to sign off on these forms without reading them thoroughly, but that may lead to dangerous outcomes when on the job.
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Pay close attention to safety briefings. If your company offers safety briefings on the equipment you’re using or the job you’re performing you will want to pay close attention and make sure to attend any sessions that are offered. If you miss a critical piece of a safety briefing you could be putting your life in danger or the lives of your co-workers in danger as well.
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Don’t be afraid to ask questions. When you are being trained you may have questions that come up and some people are shy about asking questions for fear of looking like someone who doesn’t know what’s going on. Questions are a vital tool to make sure you know exactly what is going on with each aspect of your job and so you can avoid making mistakes that could cost you valuable days on the job due to an injury.
Receiving the results of the Travelers study is a good time to refocus on safety at the workplace and make sure that you have all the tools you need to perform your job well and safely so you do not end up having to file a Connecticut worker’s compensation claim. If you take all the precautions necessary and still are injured on the job, you can feel good about the fact that you did everything you could to make sure you kept yourself and your co-workers safe.
A workplace injury can happen in the blink of an eye and before you know it you’re out of work for a few days or longer. If this is the case you may need a board certified attorney to work with you to review your claim and help you through the filing process. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your case and work to protect your long-term interests.
