Thousands of hard-working North Carolina residents are employed in a custodial or janitorial capacity. Tasked with keeping businesses, schools, medical facilities and other crucial establishments clean and safe, these employees face serious risks on a daily basis. A recent study reveals some alarming statistics illustrating the sort of workplace injuries regularly suffered by people in the custodial sector.
Custodians in another state answered some survey questions to help the Department of Labor better understand the frequency and severity of common injuries suffered on the job. The survey results indicated that a large number of custodial employees indicated that they often feel rushed to complete tasks. According to follow-up questions, injuries are more likely to happen when workers are in a hurry.
Other leading causes of workplace injuries for custodial employees include inadequate tools and lack of good-quality cleaning supplies. This means that the employees have to work harder to complete a task with sub-par equipment. Exposure to dangerous chemicals is also a problem. For employees trying to achieve quality results with improper equipment while under pressure to rush, an injury would not be unlikely.
When a North Carolina employee suffers a serious injury on the job, he or she can quickly become overwhelmed. For those unable to work, trying to recover while bills and expenses pile up is miserable. Fortunately, an understanding attorney can help a client file a workers’ compensation claim. A successful claim will ensure that an employer is legally responsible for an employee’s suffering, and help a victim collect any settlement or monetary compensation to which he or she may have a right.