Workers' CompensationWorkers’ Compensation for Plumbing Injuries: What to Know
It’s safe to say that most of us probably don’t often wonder what plumbers do until we have an emergency in which we need their services and expertise. Furthermore, we most likely don’t associate many risks with their line of work. However, plumbing can be pretty hazardous. After all, they regularly engage in activities that leave them vulnerable to dangerous accidents and severe injury. If you are a plumber and have been injured on the job, it’s imperative to partner with the professional legal services of an experienced workers’ compensation attorney in Atlanta to fight on your behalf.
How Can Plumbers Be Injured on the Job?
A plumber can sustain an injury in several ways, although accidents that occur in the course of one’s day-to-day are most common. These include the following:
Physical Labor and Tight Spaces
For plumbers, extensive bending, carrying, and heavy lifting are part of nearly any project. These activities can lead to painful injuries of the neck, back, shoulders, and more over time.
More often than not, plumbing repairs demand attention in extremely tight, hard-to-reach, or otherwise awkward areas throughout the property. Odd angles and decreased visibility can pose a risk of dangerous accidents.
Slipping and Falling
Plumbing, of course, isn’t exclusive to piping systems and fixtures — it heavily involves whatever is supposed to flow through them! As such, plumbers often find themselves working on or around wet surfaces. Sometimes, they have to use ladders or scaffolding to carry out an inspection, repair, or replacement, too. Either one of these poses a risk of slipping and falling, but when excessive moisture and elevation are combined, physical injury is an even greater possibility.
Working in Extreme Conditions
It’s no secret that most plumbers don’t have the luxury of a 9-5, Monday through Friday schedule. They are often called upon during evenings, weekends, and, yep — even when it’s absolutely miserable outside. Being exposed to extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold, coupled with transportation risks of navigating potentially unsafe roads due to bad weather, increases the chances of injury.
Hazardous Materials
Plumbers are continually exposed to toxic substances and harsh chemicals. Toxins can be carcinogenic as well as capable of causing chemical burns and emitting noxious fumes that put plumbers at risk of respiratory complications. Plumbers must take the necessary precautions to protect their eyes, skin, and lungs from substances such as lead, mold, sulfur dioxide, asbestos, drain cleaners, and more.
We can’t forget about one of the main substances they interact with — sewage. When working on or near septic systems, soil and water contaminated by raw sewage pose a serious health threat. There are various infections born of biohazards that plumbers are vulnerable to, including bacteria, parasites, and viruses. There are numerous diseases associated with these biohazards that can compromise a plumber’s health.
Plumbing is dangerous work that can lead to serious injuries and health complications. If you’re a plumber and have been injured on the job, reach out to our dedicated workers’ comp attorneys for more information about receiving the compensation necessary to achieve optimal recovery.