A work related injury is an injury or illness caused, contributed or significantly aggravated by events or exposures in the work environment. Work related injuries occur on the job and as a direct result of the tasks allotted to the specific job.
Workplace injuries or illnesses are generally physical, but can also be psychological. The sufferer may claim and get get compensation if he or she can prove that his injury or illness occurred at work or is due to the workplace environment. The concept of work related injury is gradually evolving in the world due to human right activists, workers’ associations, and government laws.
The definition of work related injury or illness, which is the basis of compensation claims, is not yet universally accepted. However, there are some principles that are generally followed:
Purpose – nature of work related injury
Victim – clearly distinguishing direct workers, indirect victims and others affected by such a work environment
Type of injury or illness – defining the type of injury and illness
Identifying acute or chronic injury – determining whether the illness is acute or chronic
Burden of proof – must be well defined
Classification systems – classification systems should reflect the above principles for study of data