Courses

Safety Training

HR Compliance
Training

Search By Industry

Course Packages

About Us

Resources

Contact Us

February 18, 2015

Slipped and fell while walking to punch in: Will he get workers’ comp?

Latest posts by Atlantic Research Team (see all)

An employee is walking toward a time clock to punch in when he slips, falls and injures his back. He files for workers’ comp. Did a court award it?

Ronnie Nabors was working for Continental Construction Co. which was helping to build a power plant near Blytheville, Arkansas. Continental was one of several subcontractors on the project.

The general contractor at the site had a rule: All contract employees had to put on their safety gear first, then swipe an access card at a gate to access the site.

Nabors and other workers were living at a motel. They were paid a per diem on top of their wages to cover the expenses of living away from home.

Even if work was cancelled for the day due to weather, employees had to go to the Continental trailer where they normally clocked in to get their per diem.

In the early morning hours of March 2, 2009, Nabors awoke at the motel and found it had snowed a lot overnight.

He wasn’t able to find out whether work was cancelled, so he drove to the work site, put on his protective gear, swiped his access card at the gate, and walked toward the trailer where he would clock in.

He was about 50 feet from the trailer when he slipped on ice, fell and injured his lower back.

Nabors filed for workers’ comp. Continental denied the claim which led to a hearing.

An administrative law judge found Nabors had suffered a compensable injury and awarded him benefits. Continenatal appealed, but the Arkansas Workers Compensation Commission upheld the ALJ’s decision. Continental appealed again, this time to a state court.

Read Full Article At Safetynewsalert.com

Related Training DVDs:

Winter Walking Staying On Your Feet Training DVD

walking Understand the need to adjust our walking behavior and techniques when the snow begins to fall. View Product

Workers Compensation Training Video

walking Train your workers with Summit’s Workers’ Compensation program and control the costs. View Product

Slips, Trips & Falls Training Video

walkingShows employees the situations that can lead to slips, trips and falls, and what they can do to avoid or prevent these accidents. View Product

Related Courses