Many modern companies have business models that depend on individual workers performing a specific task. Often, workers are treated like interchangeable pieces in a machine, left to do the same function for eight hours a day.
Whether you are a line cook at a busy restaurant or a press operator at an industrial facility, your employer should recognize the limitations of human bodies rather than expecting people to operate like machines that will never break down.
The more you do a task, the greater the damage it can cause to your body
Doing even low-impact tasks repetitively can lead to significant medical consequences. Whether you spend all day gripping the steering wheel or lifting and loading components into a machine, those tasks will inevitably cause damage to your body.
Experts call the injuries that result from doing the same work repeatedly repetitive motion injuries or cumulative injuries. They don’t occur because of an accident or a single incident but slowly develop over time because of how an employer structures your job.
Injuries from monotonous job responsibilities qualify for workers’ compensation
You don’t have to get struck by a piece of machinery or fall down the stairs while working to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Coverage in Iowa applies to all medical conditions that develop because of work, including repetitive stress injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome.
Reporting the issue to your employer and seeking medical care could help lessen the impact of the injury on your job function or daily life. Claiming workers’ compensation benefits for cumulative injuries can replace wages while you rest and help you receive the necessary medical care for your recovery.
