Workers don’t expect that they are going to face sickness as an on-the-job injury, but it does happen. Some of the dangers might not even be readily obvious. In almost all cases, proper safety protocols can help prevent workers from suffering from occupational diseases but doing so requires the employer to understand what hazards are present for these workers.
One example of how work conditions could impact a person’s health has to do with restaurants. In the past, smoking sections were common in them. This exposed servers and other employees who had to go into the section to second-hand smoke. If there wasn’t adequate ventilation in the space, the smoke could hang very heavy, which could trigger respiratory issues for the workers.
To combat the risk, restaurants could either install a ventilation system that could handle the amount of air cleaning necessary or they could just stop allowing customers to smoke within the building. Unfortunately, many restaurants chose to do neither.
This isn’t the only industry with risks. Any company that uses chemicals, certain types of energy and biological agents could be placing workers in harm’s way. Simple safety protocols, such as wearing a rebreather when working with chemicals and enforcing proper handling methods can prevent occupational illnesses from occurring.
Workers who believe that their job led to their illness should seek medical care to determine what is going on. Getting appropriate treatment as quickly as possible might minimize the impacts the condition has. Because these workers shouldn’t have to cover the medical bills for a work-related illness, they should consider turning to workers’ compensation for coverage.