Research has shown that “newness” is one of the top factors for workplace injury. Young workers and newly hired employees of any age are at a higher risk of on-the-job accidents and injuries when compared to their more seasoned colleagues. Some studies have suggested that in the first three months of a new job, employees are three times more likely to sustain a workplace injury when compared with workers who have been on the job for at least a year.
At our family-oriented law firm, Flaxman Law Group, our father-son attorney team routinely speak with employees injured on the job. These injuries not only cause pain and suffering, but also very real financial worries. New workers sometimes worry about getting their rightful benefits.
The good news is that most employers in Hollywood and across Florida are required by state law to carry workers’ compensation insurance for employees and this coverage should start on the first day of employment. If you’ve been injured at work and are wondering how to get benefits to cover wage loss, medical bills, and more, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation. We’d be happy to address your questions.
Why the Workplace Injury Risk in Florida is Higher for New Workers
So why are new workers especially at risk? Researchers have identified a few reasons:
- Inexperience. New employees may be unfamiliar with a specific workplace and its policies. They may be entirely new to a specific role or industry, and so less likely to know the risks and best practices for safety.
- Multitasking. Someone who’s just been hired has a lot to learn and they may also be taking care of work tasks while learning best practices, processes, and safety rules. Trying to focus on everything can make it hard to focus consistently on safety, which can lead to accidents and injuries.
- Hesitancy. New workers want to make a great first impression. Unfortunately, this can mean they’re reluctant to ask questions about safety and hesitant to bring up unsafe work conditions.
- The role of new workers. In some workplaces, new employees may be given less desirable tasks, including more dangerous tasks. This can be because newer workers don’t have the seniority to turn down these requests.
What You Can Do to Stay Safer at a New Job
If you’re new to a job, understanding the risks is the first step to avoiding workplace injuries. Here’s what you can do to work safer:
- Ease into it. Don’t try to do everything at once. Be patient with yourself and give yourself time to learn the job. Start with safety best practices to keep yourself and your new coworkers safer on the job.
- Take any training you can. Take any voluntary and required training as soon as you can. If your workplace doesn’t offer any, see if a professional association in your field or other groups in your state offer free online training you can complete on your own time.
- Stay focused on safety. Put away distractions and stay present when performing your work tasks, especially if they’re repetitive. At the start of your job, you will need to focus more on your tasks because they won’t be second nature yet.
What To Do If You’re Injured
It doesn’t matter if you’ve been at your workplace one day or twenty years—every injury deserves to be treated seriously. Get medical help or emergency help to start treatment and report the injury to your workplace as soon as you can.
Since so many workers have trouble getting fair benefits for their injury, it can also be useful to speak with a Florida workers’ compensation lawyer. An attorney can help you understand whether you’re eligible for workers’ compensation benefits or another form of compensation and even how much you may be able to claim.
It doesn’t have to be expensive to speak to a Florida workers’ compensation attorney. In fact, when you contact Flaxman Law Group it’s free to have a consultation and there’s no obligation, so you can find out the specific options in your situation. Contact our Hollywood, Miami, or Homestead offices today to speak with a workers’ comp lawyer.