| In the United States, the general population does not | | | | sixth-highest rate of occupational fatalities in 2008. |
| generally acknowledge the important role that | | | | When a garbage collection professional is injured on |
| garbage collection professionals play in our everyday | | | | the job, they should not have to worry about the |
| lives. While jobs in garbage collection are necessary, | | | | funding for their treatment or losing income from the |
| demanding, and difficult, they are unfortunately also | | | | time away from work needed to make a full |
| relatively thankless most of the time. This makes it | | | | recovery. Workers' compensation plans should be in |
| even more important that garbage collection | | | | place that allow an injured worker to focus on |
| professionals should not be forced to accept their | | | | regaining their health, not stressing over the financial |
| careers without full confidence that, if they are hurt, | | | | burdens of medical bills. Unfortunately, this is not |
| they will be able to easily receive the workers' | | | | always what actually comes to pass when someone |
| compensation to which they are entitled. | | | | gets hurt. Sometimes garbage collection employers |
| Garbage collectors face extremely dangerous work | | | | will discourage their employees from filing workers' |
| conditions. Their jobs involve maneuvering around | | | | compensation cases, recommending that they file |
| huge trucks, lifting heavy loads, operating compacting | | | | with their personal medical insurance provider instead. |
| machines, and handling potentially dangerous waste | | | | This should not happen, and represents a serious |
| materials. The potential sources of injury are high in | | | | shrugging of responsibility by the company. Some |
| number and potentially catastrophic in nature. All it | | | | workers may not have personal medical insurance, |
| takes is one misstep or a simple lack of | | | | and would be forced to absorb the costs themselves. |
| communication for a devoted garbage collection | | | | If an injured worker does not get the workers' |
| employee to be in an accident that could have a | | | | compensation they deserve, they may not be able |
| permanent and debilitating affect on their life. Obvious | | | | to afford the best possible medical treatment. This |
| injuries such as broken bones, cuts, or sprains are not | | | | can lead a treatable injury to leave a person with |
| the only risks, though. Handling waste can lead to a | | | | lasting, and potentially serious health issues. No one |
| increased risk for contracting many serious illnesses, | | | | deserves to suffer in this way because their |
| such as hepatitis or infections. The result is that, | | | | employer does not want to deal with compensation |
| according to the United States Bureau of Labor | | | | cases. |
| Statistics, garbage collection workers faced the | | | | |