Delivery drivers and truckers often have to pick up heavy packages. This job duty can mean that these individuals face the risk of suffering a back injury. These injuries may not often lead to death, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. What they do lead to is suffering and possible financial devastation.
It is imperative that employers do all they can to help ensure that drivers and truckers aren’t suffering injuries because of the work they do. This could mean providing assistive devices, lifting training and other measures.
For the people who do suffer a back injury at work, there are some important facts to remember. Think carefully about these points:
Back injuries can develop over time
Many people associate back injuries with a single event that led to the back hurting. This might not be the case. Some back injuries are the result of multiple microtraumas that occur over time. Heavy lifting using an improper method or trying to solo lift items that are too heavy for one person can lead to serious trauma to the back. However, these can also lead to microtrauma.
Just because a back injury doesn’t occur in a single accident doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. In fact, the injuries that you can suffer over time can be just as devastating. In some cases, they might be more devastating because they can often go untreated for so long.
Injuries don’t always occur because of lifting
While it is easy to see why people would think that these jobs are only associated with lifting-related back injuries, this isn’t the case. Some back injuries are caused by inactivity. Truckers especially can spend long stretches of time having to just sit in the cab of the vehicle. This is very bad for the back and can lead to injuries over time. Coupled with the periodic heavy lifting, the trucker could suffer severe injuries.
Once you notice that your back is sore or hurting, you might need to get checked out by a doctor. It is always better to be safe rather than sorry. If you do go to the doctor and find out that you have a back injury, you might have to take time off of work or cut back on your job duties while the injury heals.
Ultimately, work-related back injuries will likely lead to a workers’ compensation claim. This claim could lead to having your medical bills paid. You might also be able to get partial wage replacement for the time you have to miss work.