Work Safety and Rising Temperatures
Employers have a duty to protect workers from deadly heat hazards but if the worst happens New Hampshire Workers’ Compensation is there to help pick up the pieces and get employees back to work.
Amid record-breaking heat across the country, OSHA issued a hazard alert reminding employers of their duty to protect workers against heat –
“Historically high temperatures impact everyone and put our nation’s workers at high risk,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su. “A workplace heat standard has long been a top priority for the Department of Labor, but rule making takes time and working people need help now. Today, at the President’s request, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a heat hazard alert to make sure employers follow current standards and that workers across the country know their rights. This action, combined with OSHA’s increased heat-safety enforcement efforts, shows that we are determined to protect the safety and health of millions of people whose jobs become more hazardous in harsh weather.”
This message about work safety in the setting of rising temperatures comes from the top, as more and more people are recognizing the cost and consequence of ignoring this workplace risk. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are just two possible outcomes when employees are not given the protections they need to stay safe at work in dangerous heat conditions. The hope is all employers follow these OSHA guidelines and employ common sense by taking the steps necessary to avoid employee injury or illness at work due to heat conditions.
However, if the worst happens, there are protections in place to pay for medical bills and to cover lost pay from time out of work. That’s because Illness and injury that are caused in and during the course of work (as a result of a work risk) is covered under New Hampshire Worker’s Compensation law.
New Hampshire employers with one or more employees are required to purchase insurance to pay for employees medical bills, time out of work, vocational rehabilitation, and to provide compensation for permanent injuries that are caused as a result of a work injury.
In addition, New Hampshire Worker’s Compensation laws provide important and powerful job protections for employees who are hurt at work. Employees who are injured on the job are entitled to accommodations, including the ability to work reduced hours or to limit certain work duties during recovery, in order to assist them to get back to work after an injury. In addition, if an employee is taken out of work as a result of a serious injury or illness caused by their employment and their employer has five or more employees, the employer is required to keep the employee’s job open for 18 months from the date of injury. This means that for many workers, their job will be waiting for them even after an extended time out of work.
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are avoidable injuries, and employers are obligated to take the steps necessary to provide for a safe work environment in keeping with state and federal law. However, when these protections aren’t enough, employees can turn to Worker’s Compensation to help get them payment for the treatment and recovery time they need to return to work.
