Training seasonal workers essential to avoid workplace injury

There are many steps North Carolina employers can take to avoid workplace injuries. One of the most important steps is training employees how to deal with the hazards of the specific job. This, in addition to providing a safe workplace, can help reduce accidents year round in the work environment. But there are some occupations that see a surge in hiring during specific seasons and it is important to provide these seasonal workers with the requisite training to deal with the risks inherent in their job in a short span of time.

The United Parcel Service, the world’s largest package delivery company, has hired as many as 95,000 people to deal with a record number of deliveries this year in an attempt to avoid a replay of the late deliveries last year. In order to prepare their workers for the perils of delivering, there are training sessions across the country. Delivery people have to deal with a wide variety of problems, from lugging heavy loads over various floors to fending against dogs.

At these training sessions, employees learned how to protect themselves against back injuries when lifting heavy loads and the importance of remaining aware of their surroundings, whether they are delivering a package in a crowded city location or a far off rural area. They were also told the correct way to use UPS hand trucks or dollies on uneven pavements so it doesn’t fall back and hit employees in the face.

As North Carolina employees may be aware, no job is easy and each one carries its own risks and the possibility of injury. That is why workers hurt on the job can seek financial protection through workers’ compensation to cover medical expenses and wages lost from taking time off from work.

Being injured on-the-job could cause the employee to suffer greatly. While they recover they are also losing wages. Because of the losses and damages often associated with a work injury, hurt employees should note the benefits available to them, such as workers’ compensation, and understand how to file for the benefit.

Source: The News Tribune, “UPS teaches holiday recruits to fend off dogs, dodge taxis,” Michael Sasso, Dec. 7, 2014