Despite the ongoing efforts of Minnesota employers to regulate their workers’ behavior, implement safety requirements and perform frequent assessments that gauge adherence to corporate policy, accidents can still happen at work. A workers’ compensation policy is an excellent tool for both employers and employees. Its purpose is to provide protection for a company and its assets, while providing assistance to employers who may receive injuries on the job.
When an accident does happen, depending on the severity of the incident, the injured person will be required to undergo rehabilitation before being allowed back onto the job site. In many cases, the injured person may only be able to resume a portion of previously designated duties and gradually add tasks back in as a full recovery is made. In other cases, the injury is so severe that the person may be permanently disabled, receive assistance finding another job or work with his or her employer to assume a modified set of responsibilities.
According to The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc., occupational therapy is a critical part of rehabilitation following a work-related incident. Its role is to help injured persons to learn safer ways of completing their tasks, strengthening exercises to condition their body to return to work and assessments to highlight required changes to customize their work environment to make it safer and more conducive to productivity. Some types of occupational therapy include work hardening, environmental modification and work conditioning.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration encourages workers who recognize safety issues, to bring them to the attention of their employer in a timely manner. Doing so will help to prevent injury from occurring to themselves and their coworkers.