Temporary Staffing – Soft Tissue Injuries
When a job needs someone to fill a strenuous role, like loading boxes in a warehouse, working on a complex manufacturing line, or picking crops, they may bring in a temporary worker. But when they fill important and labor-intensive roles like these, temporary staffing industry workers may be at an increased risk of painful soft tissue injuries.
What is a Soft Tissue Injury?
A soft tissue injury is a type of injury that occurs when trauma is inflicted on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. In the workplace, some common causes of soft tissue injuries include frequent heavy lifting and repetitive motions. For example, a temporary worker at a recycling job might spend the day sorting items. Over time, making the same movements throughout the day could lead to a soft tissue injury.
Soft tissue injuries can also occur from sudden, forceful trauma to muscles and other soft tissues. Injuries like these can result from accidents like slip-and-falls, traffic accidents, or being struck by a dropped object. For instance, if a temporary worker is driving a tow truck and gets rear-ended by another vehicle, they could suffer from whiplash, a type of soft tissue injury that occurs when the neck is strained during an accident.
Common Soft Tissue Injuries for Temporary Workers
For temporary staffing workers, some of the most common workplace soft tissue injuries include:
- Strains, which occur when muscles or tendons are stretched beyond their capacity. Strains are often the result of repetitive motion, like lifting heavy boxes or frequently using the same machinery
- Sprains, which are similar to strains but affect ligaments. A ligament can be stretched or even torn in an accident like a slip-and-fall or sudden impact from a dropped object or traffic accident.
- Carpal tunnel, a type of repetitive motion injury which causes pain in the wrists and hands. Carpal tunnel can have many workplace causes, from frequent typing to using the same tool throughout the day.
- Tendonitis, or inflammation of the tendons. Like carpal tunnel, tendonitis often occurs from repetitive motions.
Preventing Soft Tissue Injuries
To protect your temporary workers against common soft tissue injuries, safety training is key! All workers—including temporary workers—should be trained on soft tissue injury prevention. This includes proper lifting techniques, safety around machinery, and education about other safety protocols, like when to take breaks. When applicable, you should also make sure your employees have the right personal protective equipment (PPE), like back belts for lifting tasks.
Another way to protect your temporary staffing industry employees from soft tissue injuries is to offer strong Workers’ Compensation coverage. With strong coverage, your temporary employees can find relief and compensation after a soft tissue injury or other workplace accident.
At Work Comp Business Insurance Solutions, we help temporary staffing business owners find the best Workers’ Compensation and payroll solutions. To learn more about our services and how we can help your temporary staffing business, visit us online at https://www.wcbis.com.
