A hospice social worker is a certified medical social worker (MSW) who has had specific training in end-of-life care. In hospice care, the social worker plays an important role in assisting with a patient’s wishes for care. This may include directives like a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order, planning a funeral, suggesting grief counselors, and more. Sometimes the social worker simply provides a listening ear or an expression of sympathy. A hospice social worker’s compassion, support, and knowledge can greatly improve the experience of the patient and his or her family during a very emotional time. But what benefits does a hospice worker receive if they are injured on the job?

Types of Injuries

Many hospice social workers travel to nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living facilities, and even patients’ homes to perform their jobs. They typically use their own vehicles for transportation to and from sites, but this travel time is usually considered part of their workday. Inclement weather can sometimes put them at risk for car accidents due to icy or snowy road conditions, traveling in all kinds of weather, rain or shine. Distracted drivers on the roadway can also cause crashes or rear-end collisions.

Since a hospice social worker often enters patients’ homes, the potential for possible injury can occur there, too. For example, if the social worker trips on stairs, obstacles, or an uneven walkway in or around the house or facility. Slip and falls could also take place due to water or ice on the pavement. The social worker could also sustain a back or neck injury if he or she tries to help a nurse or family member transfer a patient from a chair to a bed.

The first diesel engine patent was issued in the 1890s. Over the decades this combustible engine variant slowly gained in popularity. Its popularity comes from the ability of its fuel-air mixture to produce better energy efficiency than most gasoline engines. It became popular in the 1990s, especially in Europe. Studies showed that it released less CO2 carbon emissions than its gasoline counterparts. Many European countries began encouraging car manufacturers and their citizens to switch over to diesel. However, diesel emits Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) which caused air pollution. By 2014, Paris had pollution near the level of Beijing. This diesel related pollution has created health risks for Parisians living in the city.

The Potential Diesel Health Risks

The diesel engine is a great invention, but like all fossil fuel powered engines it has potential environmental and health risks. Those who work closely with diesel are usually the last to know of risks. Such as the possible relationship between diesel fumes and lung cancer. The American Cancer Society has released lab studies that have found that diesel fumes (like soot) can change the DNA in a cell which could lead to cancer. Others studies have found that there is an increased chance of cancer in individuals who work closest to diesel fumes, such as railroad workers, diesel truck drivers, miners, and heavy equipment operators. While the studies are not conclusive, other agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have also done similar studies, which point to similar conclusions.

How to Stay Healthy

While diesel fumes do pose a threat to your health, thankfully, there are a few simple things you can do to minimize the risk.

In the past several decades there has been a rise in workplace injuries related to carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). In 2010 a study by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 3.1 percent of employed adults suffered from CTS. This injury occurs when the median nerve becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist resulting in numbness, weakness and even pain in the wrist, hand, arm or elbow. Studies have shown that CTS is prevalent among those who work includes repetitive hand movement and is a fairly common office injury. If not treated CTS can become debilitating and lead to nerve damage. Thankfully, there are several treatments and methods to avoid this outcome.

Conventional Non-Surgical Treatments for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

There are many non-surgical options to ease or cure the pain of CTS. Many are simple and can be purchased over the counter.

• Wrist Splinting: Those who suffer from CTS can purchase a simple wrist brace from any convivence or drug store. If the CTS is moderate wearing it during the night can relieve pressure on the median nerve. If the CTS is aggressive the suffer can wear the brace during the day while performing the task that aggravates the injury.
• Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): Using over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen or Advil can ease the inflammation caused by CTS. If the pain is particularly severe a doctor can prescribe something a stronger medication.
• Corticosteroids: This is a simple injection from a doctor which helps to ease inflammation and swelling. It is injected in the aggravated area.
• Stretches and Breaks: The simplest thing to do is to take regular breaks from the activity with aggravates the CTS. During such breaks stretching the hand, wrist and arms can relieve the tension around the nerve.

Surgical Options for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

In some cases, non-surgical options are enough to eliminate the pain caused by CTS. In those instances, surgery is an option to consider. There are two popular surgeries offered to individuals ailing from CTS.

Workers’ compensation claims can cover work-related injuries for a wide variety of reasons. Injuries at work will often qualify you to receive compensation and benefits, so it is vital to understand the background on workers’ compensation claims in Illinois. Using these statistics to have a discussion with your personal injury lawyer about the best course of action for your case will be beneficial to all who need to file a workers’ compensation claim.

The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission releases a report on the workers’ compensation claims and the results of those claims filed in Illinois every year. The report filed in 2017 for injuries occurring in 2016 states that there were just over 200,000 instances of workers reporting injuries to their employers in Illinois during 2016, with 45,000 claims filed by the employees to the worker’s compensation commission. Here are some of the key takeaways from that report.

Most Common Reasons for On-The-Job Injuries

The commission’s report states that overexertion and bodily reaction are the most common cause of work-related injuries by a wide margin. The five most common reasons below overexertion are: slip and falls, vehicle collisions, workplace violence, being exposed to dangerous substances or conditions, or contact with a part of the equipment or an object.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, slips, trips, and falls were the second leading cause of nonfatal injuries to workers in the U.S. and the third leading cause of fatal injuries to workers in 2016. Slips, trips and falls can cause serious injuries to workers and can result in you having to spend days away from work to heal broken bones or pulled muscles. Depending on the severity of your injuries, slips, trips and falls can render you permanently disabled from a spinal cord injury or even a brain injury.

Fluids or debris on the floor: One of the most common reasons employees slip or fall is because there is something on the floor that is making it slippery. Liquids or dry debris can both make the floor slippery and unsafe. Examples of these hazards can include:

• Water;
• Grease;
• Soap;
• Ice or snow;
• Dust, powder or granules; and
• Freshly mopped or waxed floors.

Walking surface irregularities: Trips, especially, can happen where there is no consistency in walking surfaces when there should be. These irregularities can be both indoors and outdoors. Walking surface irregularities can include: