With the frantic pace of holiday shopping, workers in various occupations across California will face higher injury risks than at other times of the year. Retail and wholesale workers, including those in warehouses and fulfillment centers, and transportation workers will be at risk. Many of them may need to file workers’ compensation claims during or in the aftermath of the holiday shopping season.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and other safety authorities have urged employers not to lose sight of the fact that many seasonal workers are inexperienced. Without adequate safety training and supervision, preventable injuries, and even deaths, can occur. Along with the risks posed by their specific tasks and duties, seasonal workers must learn how to manage crowds of shoppers.
Young workers should be aware of which jobs their employers may not expect them to do, based on state and federal safety regulations. When reminding employers to take care of temporary staff during this time, authorities use an example of a seasonal worker in a food plant who died after an accident that should not have occurred. He was ordered to clean a machine with rotating parts without having any knowledge of lockout/Tagout procedures, and he died after he was pulled into the machine.
Along with learning how to stay safe on the job, seasonal workers in California also need to know what to do if they suffer work-related injuries. The process of claiming workers’ compensation benefits is often challenging, but help is available. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can provide valuable support and guidance with the claims process to obtain benefits to cover medical expenses and lost wages, along with additional benefits for those who suffer permanent disabilities.