Janitorial Workers’ Comp Considerations

Janitors and custodians have some of the highest on-the-job injury rates of any occupation, ranking higher than truck drivers and heavy equipment operators. If a janitor slips on a wet floor and hurts their back, or a carpet cleaner trips on a cord and tumbles down and breaks their arm, it could cost thousands of dollars in medical bills. Janitorial workers’ comp insurance can cover medical bills if an employee is injured on the job or develops an illness. It also ensures the employee still gets paid while recovering from an injury. This kind of janitorial insurance is important for clients in the industry looking to keep their workers protected from expensive medical bills and a long road back to work.

But it’s important to know what these clients need to receive the most comprehensive and personalized janitorial insurance coverage.

Here are some things they should consider when it comes to workers’ compensation.

An Overview of Coverage and Expenses

Workers’ compensation insurance provides coverage in three major areas, including employee injury and illness expenses, employee injury lawsuits, and state law compliance. When it comes to employee injuries and illnesses, a cleaning business could be held liable, so having workers’ compensation is vital to cover immediate medical costs, ongoing medical costs, partial lost wages, and death benefits for fatal incidents.

Employee Injury Lawsuits

Usually included in a workers’ comp policy, employer’s liability insurance protects business owners if an employee decides to sue over a work-related injury. For instance, a window washer might complain of vertigo and request a modified type of duty. If the company they work for isn’t able to accommodate their request and that worker ends up falling off a ladder, they could end up suing for a significant amount of money.

In this case, the employer’s liability insurance helps cover attorney fees, witness fees, court costs, and settlements or judgments. Even if a lawsuit is considered frivolous, the cleaning company could find itself paying high legal defense costs without workers’ compensation insurance.

Workers’ Compensation Costs

The amount a client pays for worker’s compensation is a specific rate based on every $100 of their payroll. A premium is determined by the employer’s sector, experience modification rate, claims history, and payroll.

Hazards of Janitorial Work

Janitorial employees clean and maintain the premises of all types and sizes of commercial and governmental establishments, including hospitals, schools, daycare centers, retail stores, offices, and more. The job duties involved in this work make these employees susceptible to various injuries on the job. The risks include:

• Falling: Slick surfaces from mopping or spills represent a slip-and-fall accident hazard.
• Ergonomic Injury: Janitorial work involves several repetitive motions, including bending, reaching, pushing, and pulling. A sudden movement can cause strains, sprains, and other musculoskeletal injuries.
• Electrical Shock: Janitorial employees usually work with electrical equipment, such as vacuum cleaners, power tools, and floor buffers. This equipment exposes them to electrical currents and the risk of shock.
• Blood-borne Pathogens: Exposure to blood-borne pathogens can cause serious disease. Among them are HBV, which causes serious liver damage and HIV, which causes AIDS.

Janitorial workers who are injured while performing custodial work on the job can qualify for workers’ compensation benefits in most cases. Clients in this field need to operate with the most updated janitorial insurance to limit costs and get their workers back to work promptly.

About Tangram Insurance Services

Located across the Golden Gate Bridge, just outside of San Francisco, Tangram Insurance Services is a full-service Managing General Underwriter and Program Manager offering specialty programs. We focus on industry-relevant coverage, competitive pricing, and practical business and risk management solutions for your clients. Since we are not all things to all people, we make sure to create outstanding custom-built solutions that matter to those businesses, and the brokers who serve those industries. Contact us at (888) 744-9810.