Can I Get Workers’ Compensation For Heat-Related Illnesses?

Florida’s average temperature in June, July and August hovers right around 80 degrees Fahrenheit (about 27 degrees Celsius), and if a person works primarily outdoors, there is a very real risk of heat-related illnesses without employer intervention. While far too many workers try to shrug off conditions like dehydration or heat cramps, these are conditions that can lead to disability and death. If you follow proper procedures, you may be able to receive workers’ compensation benefits if you have suffered in the heat.

Employers Have Obligations

There are several different conditions that one can acquire while working in the Florida sun. Dehydration, heat-related cramps and heat exhaustion are among the most common, but heat stroke is the most dangerous. All of these conditions can be traced to elevated body temperature and insufficient fluid intake, and at least in theory, can all be potentially mitigated by an employer’s precautions on behalf of their employees.

While as of this writing, no specific guidance for heat-related illnesses exists in Florida’s statutes, this does not mean that employers have no obligations toward their employees. In addition, the federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) requires that employers not only comply with any hazard-specific laws, but also to provide a work environment “free from recognized hazards … likely to cause physical harm.”

Do Not Delay In Reporting

If you or a loved one have contracted a heat-related condition on the job, you may be unsure as to whether you are eligible for benefits, particularly if you need time to recover from your injury. The answer is generally yes, as long as proper procedures are followed and you can effectively draw a causal link between your injury and your job – in other words, that you can show you developed the condition as a direct result of your employment.

It is important to remember that a work injury must be reported either within 30 days of the accident (or within 30 days of being diagnosed with a condition or injury). Failure to do this can mean you lose your chance to seek benefits – yet it is common for some, particularly men who are used to minor injuries, to ignore symptoms. Doing so can cause you physical and financial hardship.

Contact An Orlando Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Heat-related conditions must be taken seriously, and if you have developed one while on the job, you have the right to seek benefits. An Orlando workers’ compensation attorney from the Hornsby Law Group may be able to help. Call our office today to schedule a consultation.

Source:

climatecenter.fsu.edu/products-services/data/statewide-averages/temperature