Workers’ compensation is an essential protection for all employers. While steps can be taken to prevent workplace injuries and accidents, they are not completely avoidable. Even seemingly minor injuries can have substantial effects on an employee’s productivity and interrupt business operations. Although workplace injuries can not be prevented entirely, agents can help their clients be prepared for when they do happen. In addition to providing business owners with comprehensive workers’ compensation solutions, insurance agents should also have a good understanding of some of the most common risks that their workers’ comp insurance clients face.
Here are 5 of the most common workers’ compensation claims, so you can help keep your clients informed and prepared.
1. Material Handling
Material handling workplace injuries account for 32 percent of all workers’ compensation claims. Even with safety policies procedures in place, these types of injuries are still incredibly common. Business owners should ensure their employees are following safety procedures at all times, and they can also occasionally reassess employee tasks to see if they can find ways to decrease or eliminate some of the more risky exposures through simple machinery.
2. Machinery-Related Injuries
Machinery can help safely handle hazardous materials and make certain tasks easier for employees, but it also comes with its own set of risks. A small human error while operating machinery can lead to serious injury. Any employee that is tasked to operate machinery should be properly trained, and regularly assessed to ensure they are following all protocol. Employers can also add additional safety features to some types of machinery that allows for an automatic shut down when something goes wrong.
3. Slips, Falls and Tripping Injuries
Slips, falls, and tripping injuries account for 16% of total workplace injury claims. At a worksite, these injuries are typically caused by leaks, spills, water tracked in during rainy weather, loose flooring, rugs and other unexpected hazards in a walkway. Slips, falls and tripping injuries are extremely common, despite being very preventable, which is why broad coverage in a workers’ compensation policy is essential for business owners.
4. Overexertion from Labor or Working Conditions
In jobs that require a large amount of physical labor, employees are commonly at risk of developing sprains, pulled muscles, dislocated joints and even fractured bones from overexertion. Working conditions can also contribute to overexertion as well, especially in warmer weather. Without proper cooling or hydration efforts, employees may become overheated or even pass out from heat stroke.
5. Repetitive Activity Injuries
Carpal tunnel, tendonitis, bursitis and eye strain are common workers’ compensation claims and can affect any employee from assembly line workers to clerical employees. These injuries can often be difficult to prove the cause of, and judgments usually favor employees. There are not a lot of things that employers can do to prevent these types of claims, but they can be prepared for them with comprehensive workers’ compensation coverage from one of American Team Managers’ top carriers.
About American Team Managers Insurance Services
Founded in 1998 by Chris C. Micheals, American Team Managers Insurance Services (ATM) has provided wholesale and MGA services to more than 5,000 independent insurance agents throughout the United States. Our goal is to establish close, long-term relationships with our agency partners and insurance carriers and provide competitive products for the Exclusive and Non-Exclusive markets that we serve. For more information on our products and services, give us a call at (714) 414-1200 to speak to a representative.