You must have a system that recognizes that time and can react within a few days, says Pimentel. We know that the longer a worker stays off the job, the less chance that worker will have of ever coming back to work. After six months, the worker s chances of not coming back are about 50 per cent. After 12 months, it s 90 per cent. It s simple, says Pimentel.
Injured workers don t get better by sitting at home.
While workers are inactive nursing their injuries, they also lose cardiovascular capacity. They re not moving around, he says. And when they finally do come back to work, they re more likely to get an injury to another part of their body. That s because while they were off work, the injury was the only part of their body getting any physical activity. I believe that work should be therapeutic, says Pimentel.