Advances in Medical Ethics
Open Access

Work-related Injury

What is OSHA's Definition of Work Related Injury? According to OSHA Standard 1904.5, an injury is defined as work-related if an event or exposure in the work environment either caused or contributed to the injury or significantly aggravated a pre-existing injury or illness.

The top three leading causes of work-related injuries – overexertion and bodily reaction, slips, trips and falls, and contact with objects and equipment – account for more than 84% of all nonfatal injuries involving days away from work.Generally, in order for your stress-related injuries to qualify as “work-related stress” and entitle you to workers' compensation benefits, you have to prove that the stress was caused by unbearable work demands, stressful work environment, or a combination of factors that exceed your capacity and capability to cope.

Back pain, which can be caused by many situations in the workplace, is the largest reported reason for sickness absence in the UK. Other causes of work-related absence include: musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)your supervisor about the injury and the way in which it occurred, as soon as possible. An injured employee who fails to inform his or her employer, in writing, within 30 days after the date of the accident causing the injury, may lose the right to workers' compensation benefits.