Category: Specific Occupations & Industries

For many people, working in special education is more than a job. It is a vocation or calling that feels very rewarding. Maybe they have a sibling with special needs who didn’t get proper support during childhood. Perhaps they see a need and want to help fill it.

Some people obtain degrees to become special education teachers, but they aren’t the only ones helping children with developmental disabilities and other challenges. Many school districts also employ numerous special educational support professionals.

These professionals help provide one-on-one support to specific students or assist teachers in the management of hectic special education classrooms. There are a number of stressors and risks that come with working in special education. Exposure to workplace violence is one of the most pressing concerns.

Statistics show higher risk for certain educational professionals

Evaluating work safety concerns often requires an analysis of reported job safety incidents. Research makes it relatively clear that those who provide support in a special education setting have more risk than many other professionals.

Special education assistants have nearly three times the risk of getting hurt as other educational assistants and many times more risk than teachers. Research shows that non-licensed professionals providing special education support services sustain injuries due to student aggression frequently.

Approximately 4.54 special education support professionals per 100 full-time employees sustain injuries caused by students in any given year. That rate is 1.59 per 100 full-time employees for other educational support staff and 0.80 per 100 full-time employees for licensed educational professionals.

Students who require special education services may struggle with emotional self-regulation. They may also fail to recognize support professionals as authority figures and might therefore treat them with less regard than they do the licensed teacher in the classroom. Those just trying to help can end up hurt when a child lashes out in a fit of frustration or anger.

Thankfully, workers’ compensation can help. Injured special education professionals may qualify for both disability benefits while they take time off to heal and medical coverage for the treatment they require.

Being aware of workplace job issues can help people to more effectively advocate for their safety and make appropriate benefits claims as necessary. Workers’ compensation benefits can protect even part-time professionals who are only in a classroom for a few hours every week. With that said, special education professionals may need help navigating the benefits system to get the support they require after a violent incident at work, and that’s okay.

Most people can agree that professional drivers, including truck drivers, bus drivers and passenger vehicle drivers, are essential in helping to ensure that goods and people reach their destinations efficiently. However, it’s easy to overlook that the nature of their work exposes them to several health risks and injuries.

Drivers spend long hours behind the wheel, endure irregular sleep patterns and deal with the constant stress of traffic conditions. All these and so much more create unique challenges that can result in devastating injuries.

Musculoskeletal injuries

Since the task of driving requires sitting for prolonged periods, drivers can agree that it takes a toll on their bodies. Not being able to move various muscle groups and joints as frequently as they should can lead to musculoskeletal disorders. These are conditions that affect drivers’ bones, joints, muscles and connective tissues, often resulting in:

• Back pain
• Neck stiffness
• Shoulder strain
• Knee problems

These injuries can be exacerbated by:

• Poor posture
• Limited movement
• Vibrations from the vehicle

Truck drivers who load or unload cargo are especially prone to lower back injuries due to improper lifting techniques.

Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs)

Driving as a profession comes with repetitive tasks like gripping the steering wheel or using pedals for extended periods. While doing such tasks over and over again might not seem like a big deal, after a while, drivers may develop repetitive strain injuries. Drivers who have been in the profession for years have likely developed:

• Wrist pain
• Shoulder tension
• Carpal tunnel syndrome

Professional drivers may also develop leg pain from repetitive braking and acceleration.

Fatigue-related injuries

Individuals who only drive for leisure may not realize how exhausting driving can be for professional drivers who spend hours behind the wheel. To avoid getting involved in an accident, drivers have to:

• Maintain razor focus
• Quickly react to sudden changes in traffic
• Observe traffic rules
• De-escalate negative interactions with other road users

Furthermore, long-haul truckers and bus drivers with demanding schedules experience driver fatigue because they sometimes have to push themselves to drive longer. Fatigued driving can:

• Impair their reaction times
• Compromise their judgment
• Increasing their risk of accidents

Fatigue may also contribute to chronic physical problems, as sleep deprivation affects muscle recovery and cognitive function.

Professional drivers might not be aware that they can be compensated for injuries sustained in the line of duty. The right legal team can help clarify their situation and assist with exploring all available legal avenues for fair compensation.

Teaching isn’t just a job. It is a vocation or calling. Educational professionals commit years to obtaining an appropriate education themselves. They may accept mediocre wages because they want to have a positive impact on children and young adults.

Teachers accept a variety of risks when they take a job at a school. Many teachers eventually develop repetitive strain injuries from spending hours at the board or typing. They are at risk of falls and illnesses caused by exposure to pathogens in a school environment.

Additionally, they are at risk of injuries caused by student violence. There has been a noteworthy uptick in incidents where students become violent toward teachers and other school professionals in recent years. How can that violence potentially impact teachers?

Students can cause serious physical damage

Children and teenagers alike can cause major physical injuries to teachers when they become aggressive. Teachers may not feel like they can fight back or even attempt to restrain the student in some cases, which may mean that a student hits or kicks them multiple times before someone else intervenes.

When students are younger, they can be particularly wild and aggressive. They might bite or throw objects that can injure a teacher. Older students may have incredible physical strength during their teenage years. A single punch could break someone’s nose and cause a brain injury.

The physical injuries that result from an act of violence may require hospitalization, surgery and even physical therapy. Teachers may spend months recovering from the harm a student causes in a violent attack.

Student attacks can cause psychological trauma

An attack in the classroom can do real psychological harm to a teacher. They may never feel quite as safe or confident in the classroom as they did before the incident. In some cases, they may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which makes it unhealthy and unsafe for them to return to the same institution. They may require years of counseling to overcome the trauma they experience.

The good news is that workers’ compensation benefits can help pay for both physical injuries and mental health challenges that arise due to an incident on the job. Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to quantify and prove the impact of a mental health disorder like PTSD on a professional.

Teachers recovering from a violent attack at school may need help applying for workers’ compensation benefits. They may need to learn their rights if they require benefits for PTSD and other mental health consequences. Educators who learn about their rights can use that information when pursuing benefits for their injuries and the secondary consequences of violent incidents.

While every profession features occupational hazards, safety hazards are particularly pronounced for employees who work at industrial plants. For example, there is always potential for chemical explosions, which can expose workers to toxic chemicals and cause devastating injuries. Exposure to harmful chemicals opens a Pandora’s box because affected workers can never be sure of whether they may have to grapple with both short-term and in the long run as a result.

In such predicaments, worker’s compensation can be a safety net to help employees prioritize their health without inspiring them to feel overwhelmed by unexpected medical bills. A recent chemical explosion at an industrial plant in Iowa highlights the value that workers’ compensation programs contribute when employees get injured on the job.

The Iowa plant explosion

On December 8, 2022, a plant explosion in Eastern Iowa caused significant concern among local residents and officials. Following the explosion, nearby residents had to urgently evacuate their residents due to the release of harmful chemicals into the environment.

While the immediate focus was on containing the fire and helping to ensure public safety, attention soon turned to the plant workers exposed to these hazardous chemicals during the incident. The explosion happened at an industrial plant involved in processing and manufacturing. The combination of combustible materials ever-present at the facility and inadequate safety measures led to the massive blast. Workers present at the time of the explosion faced immediate dangers such as:

• Burns
• Respiratory issues
• Exposure to toxic chemicals

The affected workers are now at risk of immediate and long-term health complications. This highlights the importance of understanding their rights to workers’ compensation.

Workers’ compensation for chemical exposure

The affected workers can apply for workers’ compensation to help ensure they have the financial resources they need for immediate medical care and long-term treatment, such as:

• Emergency room visits
• Surgeries
• Physical therapy
• Ongoing medical check-ups

Specialized care may also be required due to their exposure to toxic chemicals.

Since the injured employees suffered devastating injuries, they may not be able to find new work as soon as they need to. Luckily, workers’ compensation can provide partial wage replacement as they continue their recovery journey.

Employees who get injured on the job may not know what to do when their out-of-pocket medical expenses start to pile up. With reliable legal guidance, they can apply for workers’ compensation and likely receive financial relief as they recover from their injuries.

People often pursue jobs in the medical sector because they want a predictable career or because they feel strongly compelled to help others. The medical industry has long employed those who find personal fulfillment in assisting others. The healthcare sector also attracts bright young people in search of reputable and dependable sources of income.

Unfortunately, someone’s earning potential as a medical professional could disappear within moments after a serious injury on the job. There are numerous unique employment hazards in the medical sector that largely depend on someone’s exact role and areas of specialization.

Someone in a pediatric clinic has very different on-the-job hazards than someone working with adult oncology patients. That being said, statistically, there are four injuries that are responsible for a large percentage of lost-time incidents in healthcare settings.

Slips, trips and falls

People in any profession can lose their balance and fall. However, the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics asserts that slips, trips and falls are 90% more likely for healthcare workers when compared with those in other professions. Rushing to care for workers in crowded spaces and the spills that can occur in a medical setting help contribute to this pressing risk that can leave medical workers unable to do their jobs.

Needle sticks

The second most serious job hazard for healthcare professionals is the possibility of accidentally pricking themselves with a needle or other sharp object. Any sharp tool already used on a patient could have blood on it and may therefore expose workers to dangerous pathogens. Needle sticks can lead to permanent and even deadly illnesses for healthcare workers.

Repetitive motion injuries

Also called repetitive strain injuries, repetitive motion injuries are easy to develop in a healthcare setting. Someone who spends their entire day opening and analyzing collected blood samples could develop carpal tunnel that limits their functional abilities. Many specialized healthcare professionals have to perform the same tasks repeatedly and maintain unhealthy and uncomfortable postures at work. They may then find themselves dealing with diminished strength and range of motion due to those repeated job functions.

Injuries caused by lifting patients

The final common source of on-the-job injuries in the healthcare sector relates to the difficulties of regular patient care. Helping to lift and move patients can cause either repetitive strain or immediate traumatic injuries if people overexert themselves through heavy lifting. The need to provide physical assistance to patients can lead to significant injuries for healthcare providers.

Oftentimes, injured medical employees may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. Learning more about benefits and job hazards can help people reduce their risk of serious disruptions caused by on-the-job injuries.