Age Matters When it Comes to Workplace Safety for Construction Workers
All other factors being equal, older workers in construction jobs have a higher risk of injury and a longer recovery time than their younger coworkers.
You are only as old as you feel. 40 is the new 30. Use it or lose it. Whether it is the result of a cavalier attitude toward aging or a matter of economic necessity, employees above the age of 40 make up a considerably larger percentage of construction workers than they did 25 years ago. If you get up in the morning to work at a construction site and come home to correspondence from the AARP in your mailbox, then you should count your blessings because you are healthy enough to do physical work, you have a reliable income, and if anyone asks you what you spend your time doing, you can just point to all the buildings you helped to build. Despite this, construction is one of the industries with the highest rates of workplace injury, and the risks are even greater for older workers. An Omaha workers’ compensation lawyer can help you if you are still hurting from a workplace accident from which your younger self would have bounced back much more quickly.
Age-Related Safety Risks for Construction Workers
Proper safety precautions can prevent the worst construction accidents, such as vehicle collisions, falling from heights, or being crushed by heavy objects. Despite this, construction work involves heavy lifting, and some muscle strain injuries are inevitable. Regardless of the nature of the injury, the body heals itself more slowly as you age. You might require more time off work after an injury than a younger coworker would require after the same injury.
How Does Your Age Affect Your Workers’ Compensation Claim?
If a worker files a workers’ comp claim after tripping over an obstacle or throwing out his back while lifting a heavy object, the employer usually does not deny that the accident happened or that the worker was working when it occurred. The disputes tend to arise when the employee needs expensive treatment, or a long time off of work, or is on light duty because of chronic pain or other long-term symptoms. For the same injury, Joe Hardhat, Sr. might need back surgery, while Joe Hardhat, Jr. would be fine with injections and physical therapy. A workers’ compensation lawyer can help you persuade the court that you genuinely need more treatment or reassignment of duties.
Likewise, even though health information is confidential, you should tell your employer if you think a work task is too dangerous for you given your health risks. Provide documentation from your doctor if your employer asks for it. Preventing accidents costs a lot less than paying workers’ compensation claims for severe injuries.
Contact Andres Law Offices, PC LLO, About Construction Worker Injuries in Omaha Nebraska
An Omaha workers’ compensation lawyer can help you if you were injured in a work accident at a construction site. Contact Andres Law Offices, PC LLO, in Omaha, Nebraska, about your case.