Considering how physically and intellectually demanding the millwright’s job is, accidents are almost certain to happen. For instance, you might accidentally damage a piece of equipment while installing it or lose it while it’s in transit. Even if you’re fortunate enough to never make errors, things can still happen that are totally beyond your control. And for this reason, millwright companies and contractors need to obtain worker’s compensation insurance.

What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Workers’ compensation insurance is a type of coverage that provides medical care, disability benefits, and rehabilitation services to employees who are harmed or killed while on the job in line with state law. Millwrights frequently work on large-scale mechanical and industrial projects. The protection of your employees falls under your responsibility as an employer.

If you don’t have coverage, you’d probably have to pay the employee’s medical bills out of pocket as well as some of their lost wages. Worker’s compensation insurance will cover those costs.

A death benefit is typically included in the policies as well to lessen the financial burden of funeral costs if an employee has a fatal workplace accident that leads to death. The workers’ compensation coverage’s main objective is to safeguard employees and companies from becoming bankrupt due to workplace accidents.

Your job as a millwright contractor is extremely demanding by its very nature. You are in charge of taking apart, moving, putting together, and installing various kinds of heavy equipment whether you operate in factories, power plants, or any other type of industrial setting.

Financial ruin could result from having to pay for medical costs, repairs, and legal fees out of your pocket. However, if you have the appropriate millwright contractors’ insurance protection in place, you can avoid suffering significant financial losses.

Millwrights operate off-site and are regularly exposed to a variety of risks at different industrial settings and manufacturing sites. Below are common injuries experienced by millwright companies’ employees.

Hazards can include:

– Performing manual work while standing atop ladders or platforms

– Servicing machinery or equipment that is powered by a high voltage

– Using tools with an electrical power source

– Closeness to conveyor systems and

– Utilizing cutting and welding torches

All these hazards can result into:

– Acute injuries and could include broken or crushed limbs, head or eye injuries, burns, cuts or lacerations, and electrical shock.

– Chronic injuries resulting from long-term exposures (e.g., hearing loss or repetitive
motion injuries [RMIs]) are also possible.

All companies are required by law to offer their employees workers’ compensation insurance, even if someone is hurt when they are working their first hour. Terrible injuries can occur even before someone has received all the necessary training on a piece of equipment. Employees who are hurt on their first day of work have the same protective rights as those who have worked there for years.

Serious penalties await employers who fail to provide workers’ compensation coverage for their workers. As a cost of doing business in the state, an employer must pay for workers’ compensation. Criminal prosecution, fines, and exorbitant legal fees could arise from not having workers’ compensation insurance.

In the following states, there is a possibility of going to jail:

– Massachusetts

– Michigan

– California

– Pennsylvania

– Illinois

Common law states that if the employer agrees to pay their part in workplace injuries,
regardless of fault, the employee would give up the right to claim against the employer if they get injured in the workplace. Typically, employers pay for compensation which is limited to:

• Medical expenses.

• Wage loss.

States have their distinct laws and provisions associated with situations related to millwright workers’ workplace compensation. But, employees can sue the employer in case of workplace injury under the common workers’ compensation law. However, if the employer is compliant with the worker’s compensation law, it keeps him on the safe side to be sued for the same by a worker.

On the flip side, non-compliant employers won’t get the common law defenses. They are prone to a problem such as:

• Personally paying the cost of wage losses or medical expenses for the injured
workers.

• Injured employee(s) may file negligence lawsuits.

• States penalties for non-compliance: Based on the level of the infraction, the noncomplying employer may get charged with a felony or a misdemeanor.

The limits on a workers’ compensation insurance policy include employee benefits and employer liability. The employee benefits portion of the policy covers medical expenses, rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, and death benefits to the employee’s dependents. Employee benefits do not usually have limits or exclusions.

Employers’ liability limits are defined within each insurance policy. Business owners may choose to increase the limits for coverage. Each state sets the minimum required coverage limits. Legal, statutory liability limits in most states are:

– $100,000 per occurrence for bodily injuries

– $100,000 per employee for bodily injury by occupational disease

– $500,000 policy limit for bodily injuries by disease

At UnderWrite Insurance Services, we offer one million dollars insurance policies as well.

Loss wages

A serious accident might keep an individual out of work for days, weeks, or even months. Workers’ compensation often covers a portion of an employee’s lost wages while the person is healing from a working injury.

Lawsuits

Workers’ compensation insurance usually includes liability insurance for the company. This insurance covers the employer from a lawsuit alleging that a worker was hurt as a result of the employer’s carelessness.

Medical expenses

When an accident occurs at work, workers’ compensation insurance pays for immediate care, such as an emergency or an emergency room visit.

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation aims to assist those who have been injured or incapacitated in returning to
employment. Rehabilitation, according to the National Rehabilitation Information Center, may involve job training, career counseling, and support in finding new employment.

Death expenses

Workers’ compensation pays death benefits if your family member died as a result of workplace injury. These benefits are provided to the employee’s spouse, children, or other dependents.

A class code is assigned by the National Council of Compensation Insurance (NCCI) or by state agencies based on the activities of the occupation.

There are many different workers’ comp class codes within the property management segment. Below is the class code(s) used:

Code 3724: Millwright Work NOC & Drivers.

Workers’ compensation insurance is governed by state laws; therefore the price of coverage will vary depending on where your employees are based. If workers are more prone to experience workplace injuries, companies with more employees and bigger risks pay higher rates for workers’ compensation coverage.

Each employee classification has a unique rate for workers’ compensation based on the precise sort of work that the employee performs. State-specific premium rates are given as $100 of payroll for each.

UnderWrite Insurance Services is a national insurance agency that provides A-rated workers’ compensation insurance to cover millwright employees. For a free insurance quote, submit an application below or give us a call at 201-580-6806.