Thread: Workplace Health and Safety!

I'd like to share with you guys something that happened to me yesterday, get your opinions, and if you want please share your experiences.

I catch a train to work. It is an older style one where you can rotate the seats to face the direction of travel. I was rotating the seat when it got stuck on the seat in front, so I thought a quick jab with my palm would unjam it. I was wrong, and ended up lacerating my palm on a rusty screw that was part of the fold-down drinks tray on the back of the seat.

All that really happened was that I got a skin-flap. There was a bit of blood, but really it just looked like a large blister when it bursts, if you know what I mean. I put a bandaid on it and continued the trip. All the way my wife is saying "go to the Uni medical centre and get a tetanus shot", so when I got to work that is what I did.

Long story short, because the "accident" happened on the way to work it was treated as a work cover insurance issue. I had to fill in about 5 forms, send one to my employer, one to HR, one to the rehabilitation services.....

I got a phone call in my office that afternoon from the manager of rehab services asking me if I required modified duties and work-related physio and occupational therapy plan!! All for a tetanus shot and a waterproof plaster over a scrape!

I think next time I'll just keep my mouth shut! I felt really guilty - surely this kind of thing is for genuine cases, not piddly lacerations?

Anyone else ever experienced anything like this at their work?

James.

Be thankful the company willing to try to help you. Some go overboard, like in this case but I think they mean well. Think about the other side, I have worked on a lot of construction sites where they did not even care, including one where the office staff was pissed we shut down for a day when a worker died. They are just going a little overboard

Yea, I would be thankful for the inconvenience as a lot of people don't have that privilege. You would not believe how many times injured workers get the shaft.

Bob

Yeah, in the USA the contractor will deny the accident happened if they can get away with it. I've been injured on two occasions, doing ironwork, where the foreman gave me a copy of the accident report. Later when I was unable to work, filed workman's comp, the office denied that that accident happened ......... but I had the report signed by the foreman. Here it was "don't worry about the mule, just load the wagon."

I cut myself every day,pruning roses,trees,bushes,installed a dishwasher yesterday,couple cuts, just minor stuff,working in my shop I get plenty of cuts,Geez, if I ran to the E.R everytime I cut myself.I would never be home.

For you I would prescribe more manual labour, if for nothing else other than to toughen up those hands of yours

We are talking about 2 different countries here and I don't know how your work cover insurance compares to our workman's compensation but here in the US my experience is that the employers could care less about the employee but want to cover their butt. One time I twisted my wrist when a drill caught in the piece I was drilling twisting my wrist. It hurt like a son of a gun but didn't swell right away. It was one of those things that might not really show up until I awaken the next day. We had just got a big talking to about how we are suppose to report any injury no matter how small. The first thing they did was give me a drug test. and then said see if if it continues to hurt. What did you do wrong? There is no such thing as an accident. Fill out these forms. When I "passed" the drug test I sent them for a loop and asked for my copy of the results. They said we have never had anyone ask for the results when they "passed". I said that it is my right that if you take a drug test that I get the results. I wanted to see what the results looked like and what they tested for. The only major drug that that company didn't test for was PCP. When I showed the other guys at work we decided that should be our drug of choice!

My point is that at least here they are not looking out for you but themselves.

Well then, from that point of view I am lucky to work for such a good employer. It just seemed funny that people were running around after me for such a small and inconsequential thing. Makes me think it could be quite easy to rort the system if one so desired.

Anyway, I will count my blessings and be thankful I work in such a good place.

James.

Ah yeah - I don't have the personal experience, but I know it works the same way here because the forms I've had to fill out on campus have that special section if it's in any ways a work related injury. It gets covered under a different clause from a different pile of money I guess.

I don't think you should feel guilty though - remember all that money you bring and how much the university cut is. They already have the bureaucracy set up and those people are probably bored most of the time sitting around idle with no work accidents to document, no paperwork to shuffle. Just imagine that in addition to simply paying their salary, today you got to also bring some meaning to somebody's life

I have never had a workman's comp claim personally but have worked at a University. They are in a world by themselves from my experience.