What is Occupational Injuries and Workers’ Compensation Management Strategies?
An occupational injury is an injury or illness that happens to someone because of the nature of their job. These injuries or illnesses account for a significant number of visits to emergency departments, primary care doctors, and specialized medical practices. The body parts most commonly affected are the hands, eyes, spine, head, lungs, skeleton, and skin.
Occupational injuries can be due to various hazards at the workplace, such as noise, temperature, insect or animal bites, airborne particles, diseases carried in the blood, harmful chemicals, radiation, and burnout from the job. There are ways to prevent these injuries, but many still happen due to issues like poor ergonomics, handling heavy loads manually, improper use of equipment, general hazards, and a lack of adequate safety training.
It’s important for healthcare providers to understand the cost implications of occupational injuries, not just in immediate medical expenses, but also in terms of long-term or permanent disability. Also, healthcare providers should be aware of the workers’ compensation system — a program that provides financial assistance to employees who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses – and how it helps streamline healthcare services for these workers to reduce any negative effects down the line.
What Causes Occupational Injuries and Workers’ Compensation Management Strategies?
Falling due to slipping or tripping is a common cause of injuries at work, making up 20% to 40% of serious work-related injuries. Given that most of these injuries are due to physical activities, a 2018 report showed that, out of nearly 50,000 work-related injuries reported in emergency departments, the orthopedic surgery service was the most frequently required. Orthopedics is the branch of medicine that deals with bones, joints, and muscles.
The part of the body that is most often injured at work is the upper extremity, which includes the arm, shoulder, and hand. Some common injuries related to work demands include conditions that cause shoulder pain, injuries to the rotator cuff (the group of muscles and tendons that hold the shoulder joint together), and carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is often associated with overuse of the hands and wrists and the need for repeated strong gripping.
Another common work-related issue is hearing loss, which can result from noise exposure and accounts for about 15% of job-related injuries. Injuries from accidental contact with a needle are also common. As a result of the substances they contain, these injuries can lead to bacterial or fungal infections, cuts, inflammation (swelling), reactions to vaccines or antibiotics, miscarriage, loss of limbs, and even death.
Risk Factors and Frequency for Occupational Injuries and Workers’ Compensation Management Strategies
Age is a significant factor that increases the risk of a work-related injury. Workers who are 65 years old or older are more likely to be injured at work than their younger colleagues. Statistically, workers over the age of 65 experience job-related injuries more often than those aged 25 to 34. According to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 4,836 fatal work injuries in 2015, with older workers four times more likely to have fatal injuries than younger ones.
Older workers are also more likely to be killed in construction falls and have a higher risk of hearing loss, visual impairment, and using multiple prescription medications—all factors that increase their risk of work-related injuries.
On a global scale, each year sees about 350,000 workplace fatalities and 300 million workplace injuries. For every 1,000 workers, job-related injuries reduce their overall healthy lifespan by 3.5 years.
The most dangerous professions are:
- Farming
- Fishing
- Forestry
- Construction
- Manufacturing
The most prevalent injuries are slips, trips, and falls, making up over a third of all injuries. Incorrect handling of items is the most common cause of injuries that lead to absences from work for over seven days. Half of workplace injuries involve the upper limb (arms and hands).
In the United States in 2007, 5,657 work-related deaths occurred, which was less than 0.1% of total job-related injuries. However, the overall number of job-related fatalities has been decreasing over the years, with less than 5,000 reported in 2015. Over 90% of these injuries involve male workers, costing approximately $250 billion total—second only to the healthcare cost of cardiovascular disease.
In one day in the US, about 15 workers die from traumatic injuries, and 200 end up in the hospital.
In the United Kingdom, the fields with the most occurrence of fatal workplace accidents include agriculture, construction, and waste management. The most common types of accidents involve falls from height, contact with moving machinery, and being struck by a vehicle, which account for half of all work-related deaths.
Signs and Symptoms of Occupational Injuries and Workers’ Compensation Management Strategies
When dealing with workplace injuries, it’s crucial for doctors to understand the details about the injured worker and the type of work they do. Doctors need to record various details such as:
- What likely caused the injury
- The date and time of the injury and when the symptoms began
- Any earlier injuries or similar health issues
- Where the injury happened
- How the injury occurred
- Whether there were any witnesses to the injury
- When the injury was first reported
- Any existing mental health issues
The physical examination of the patient should include:
- Assessing the authenticity of the injury
- Watching the patient as they enter or leave the examination
- Observing the patient’s movement from the chair to the examination table and their clothing removal
- Comparing the patient’s behavior, attitude, and movements with the office staff
- Noting the amount of time taken to change into an examination gown
- Noting how the patient grips a pen
When evaluating low back pain, doctors may look out for certain signs. It’s important to check for inconsistencies during the examination, such as:
- Can the patient bend over easily?
- Is the patient protective when touched lightly?
- Do the same wincing and protective actions persist when they’re distracted?
- Does any muscle weakness correspond to changes in reflexes and muscle shrinkage, or is it due to lack of effort?
- Is muscle weakness consistent?
- Does the range of motion change with each visit?
- Does the area of sensitivity change with each appointment?
All of these observations may not be possible during a single visit, as they often need careful attention over multiple visits.
Testing for Occupational Injuries and Workers’ Compensation Management Strategies
To diagnose your condition, the doctor will typically start with a detailed conversation about your symptoms and a physical examination. Depending on the findings, they might consider additional tests, like X-rays, ultrasound, or other advanced imaging techniques.
One of the advanced imaging techniques is called Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which can provide detailed pictures of the inside of your body and can be helpful in understanding exactly what might be causing your symptoms. However, it’s important to realize that these scans can sometimes pick up minor issues that aren’t causing your current problems. In other words, the scan might find something “incidental” that isn’t actually the cause of your discomfort.
Previous research has shown that MRI does have certain limitations. For example, a study conducted in 2010 found that MRIs of the wrist didn’t always accurately identify what was causing pain on the side of the wrist close to the pinky finger.
Another study from 2017 found that when workplace injuries were suspected in one knee or shoulder, an MRI of both sides didn’t necessarily reveal more severe issues on the injured side. In fact, fewer than half of patients in the study had more severe underlying conditions on the side suspected of injury compared with the non-injured side.
Treatment Options for Occupational Injuries and Workers’ Compensation Management Strategies
Treatment for work-related injuries depends on the unique condition of each patient. This could include managing pain, going through physical therapy, taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), having injections, or undergoing surgery. It’s crucial to understand that each person’s work-related injuries need to be treated uniquely as not all cases are the same.
When Surgery is Considered
Studies show that people with work-related injuries may have different outcomes after surgery compared to those with non-work related injuries. For instance, total joint replacements, which generally have excellent results for most patients, may not have the same outcome for those with work-related injuries. Research comparing outcomes for patients with work-related injuries to others without such injuries suggests that surgery may not be as effective in those with work-related injuries.
What else can Occupational Injuries and Workers’ Compensation Management Strategies be?
Every injury that happens at work is unique. So, health care providers need to figure out a few things initially. They must determine whether the injury existed before the work-related incident, if the injury is directly or indirectly tied to the job requirements of the patient, and if the incident is applicable for a workers’ compensation claim.
What to expect with Occupational Injuries and Workers’ Compensation Management Strategies
There are many ways to lessen the chance of getting hurt and improve the recovery process for those who do get injured. These methods involve identifying possible problems by assessing risks, offering safety training, using personal safety gear, putting safety guards and safety systems on machines, and setting up safe barriers.
To understand the main cause of past injuries, we can analyze them using a method called root cause analysis. Regular check-ups, particularly detailed ones, can help lower the chances of work-related injuries over time.
Possible Complications When Diagnosed with Occupational Injuries and Workers’ Compensation Management Strategies
Past studies have shown that work-related injuries can sometimes lead to inferior results. This has been observed in a variety of conditions and applies to both general care and specialized surgical treatments.
Preventing Occupational Injuries and Workers’ Compensation Management Strategies
Patients should be informed that when it comes to work-related injuries and cases involving workers’ compensation, there’s a chance they may take longer to fully recover and return to work. It’s also possible that the results may not be as good as they expect.
