Maintenance worker injures three fingers after reaching for job tool
An employee’s action in picking up work-related tools or equipment, even beyond the official workday, can be considered a compensable injury, a panel of the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board of California said in a recent case.
In the case of Timson vs. Oxford Suites; WCF National Insurance Company, Oxford Suites hired a maintenance worker in April 2020. His job duties included janitorial work, trades work, and repairing appliances. He also worked on drywall, plumbing, and electricity.
The employer had a utility cart but no tool cart at the time. The employee’s supervisor asked him to bring his own tools.
In August 2021, the employee was doing preventative maintenance such as caulking at his job location. After the end of his shift, he got something to eat. He stayed at the premises to assemble the tool cart so that he could stop bringing his own tools to work. He could not finish this task on the clock because his work was “overwhelming,” he alleged.
As the employee reached to grab a caulking tool, he lost his footing and placed his hand on a soap dish, which shattered. He injured three of his fingers.
Read more: What employers need to know about catastrophic injury
The employee phoned his general manager to notify him about the injury. The general manager replied that he was not covered. The employer paid no compensation and provided no medical treatment.
The employee filed a workers’ compensation...
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