Whether working on a construction site, in an office or at a retail establishment, most workers need to make use of their hands. Even a seemingly minor hand injury can put someone out of work for a significant amount of time. These are some of the most devastating work injuries in terms of being able to continue or return to work.
Hands are invaluable tools
New Jersey workers use their hands for all kinds of different tasks. Perhaps no other tool has versatility as great as hands do, which can easily move between tasks like gently handling delicate equipment to lifting heavy objects. Unfortunately, employers often overlook hand safety and miss out on important opportunities for injury prevention.
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — BLS — approximately 121,000 workers took time off work in 2019 because of hand injuries. Lack of personal protective equipment — PPE — was a common factor in these incidents. Around 70% of those who were out of work for hand injuries were not wearing any hand protection at all when they suffered their injuries. This is something that all workers should be aware of, as one can suffer a serious hand injury from:
- Material goods
- Equipment
- The general work environment
A hand injury can impact more than just someone’s ability to work, and may also make day-to-day tasks difficult to complete. Recovery can be key to both getting back to work and living a more fulfilling and pain free life. In New Jersey, compensation for work injuries is usually best secured through the state’s workers’ compensation system, and these benefits can be used for things like medical bills, lost wages and other financial aspects of recovery.