4 common working from home injuries
3. Bone fractures
Bone fractures are often caused by trips that may happen within your household, likely because of a wet floor, loose wires, loose mats, uneven flooring and other obstructions.
Common bone fractures affect the limbs, hips, spine, ankles or wrists.
The severity of the situation may vary depending on the area affected, the current health of the victim and age. For instance, fatal limb fractures may take longer to heal among the aged groups.
Note that you can eliminate such risks through simple efforts like storing all your equipment well and cleaning up any spillages. However, accidents occur, and if you sustain a bone fracture while working from home, it’s essential to get immediate medical attention.
For thorough diagnosis and treatment, doctors may have to perform an X-ray, computerised tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or bone scan. Severe cases might require surgery and physical therapy afterwards.
For that reason, ensure you document everything and present it to your employer as evidence. However, your activities at the time of the injury may determine whether or not you’ll get worker’s compensation.
In case of any disagreements, you can consult an attorney who can offer legal advice regarding your rights as a worker.
4. Eye injuries
Work-related eye injuries are common among employees who regularly use computer screens.
Research indicates that about 50 per cent to 90 per cent of computer users manifest symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome.
As a remote worker, you may sustain vision problems due to the daily use of technology for communication, execution of duties, and job sharing. The common signs you may experience include blurry vision, itchy and dry eyes, eye fatigue and consistent migraines.
In such cases, you should get your vision checked by a professional eye doctor. The medical expenses may vary based on your condition. So, remember to claim your compensation benefits to help you during healing and recovery.
However, you can prevent eye strain in the following ways:
- Adjust the room lighting
- Position your laptop, desktop or smartphone at least 25 inches from your face
- Use safety glasses or eyewear while working
- Limit screen time by taking breaks
- Reduce your monitor’s brightness or choose the ‘eye comfort’ mode if available.
Seek help if you experience injury
Injuries sustained at home while on official duty may qualify as workplace accidents and could be eligible for worker’s compensation. Just because there’s a shift from the conventional office space to a home set-up doesn’t prevent you from getting quality treatment and your rightful benefits.
If you experience a common work-from-home injury, you should notify your employer or involve a lawyer for representation.
Altogether, remember to take the necessary measures to ensure a safe work environment.
