Information technology (IT) jobs aren’t usually high risk. High-risk professions include maritime work, construction jobs and forestry professions. IT professionals often work in offices. They may have limited face-to-face exposure to customers.
It is reasonable to assume that IT professionals don’t develop job-related health issues. However, while office workers are not at high risk, but they can develop work-acquired medical conditions. As a result, IT professionals working in an office setting may benefit from learning about three of the top job site hazards.
Repetitive motion injuries
Office work may require hours at a desk. Someone performing remote IT support may need to answer phone calls and access online resources to help callers. Sitting for work is a risk on its own. If chairs don’t offer ergonomic support, workers may develop injuries in their backs, necks and shoulders. Typing for hours is also a job risk. Workers who type for hours may develop carpal tunnel syndrome. Repetitive job tasks can lead to repetitive motion injuries. Workers may require assistive technology or a leave of absence to heal from repetitive motion injuries.
Electrical exposure
IT professionals may physically work with computers and other equipment. Working with equipment involves a degree of electrical shock risk. Computers, printers and other machinery can cause electrocution and burns. Burns and other electrical injuries can be minor. They can also put someone in the hospital and leave them in too much pain to do their jobs until they heal.
Falls to the same level
IT professionals may work in facilities where they must move from level to level to address technical issues. Other times, they may work at a company with a one-level workspace. Someone does not need to go up or down stairs to get hurt in a fall. Clearly, a fall down the stairs could cause significant injuries. Same-level falls are also a safety concern. A same-level fall could lead to dislocated shoulders or broken bones. People can even cause traumatic brain injuries if they hit their heads. Someone could slip in a spill or trip over an obstacle in a same-level fall.
Workers’ compensation benefits can help IT professionals who have been injured on the job. Medical benefits can pay for their treatment. Disability benefits can help workers afford time away from their jobs to recover from an injury or undergo treatment. In these and other consequential ways, recognizing when workers’ compensation benefits could be available may help injured professionals.