Many germs in the environment will not hurt you. It is the job of your immune system to keep out the germs that could develop into infections. However, there are some germs that are continually advancing, forming mutations which are meant to battle your immune system. In some cases, these germs will win the fight and you end up with an infection or illness.
The rule of thumb for children and school concerns any fever associated with the illness. If your child has a fever, you are likely not permitted to send them to school. The same rule should apply to workers on the job. If you are feverish and fighting an illness, be sure to stay home and recover completely before returning to work. Typically, once the fever has broken, you will not be contagious. It is always advisable to confirm this with your family doctor.
By attending work while contagious, you are likely to not only spread the sickness around the work environment you may end up re-infecting yourself. Many workplaces will lose a lot of productivity hours when a contagious illness affects the workplace over and over. When sick people work, they continue to spread their germs around the office over and over, and suddenly everyone seems to be sick and missing work at the same time.
If you do work while fighting off a cold or the flu, make sure you use basic etiquette and hygiene. Do not cough or sneeze without protecting your mouth and nose. Wash your hands often, especially after blowing your nose. Use a disinfectant spray in your workspace to help kill some of the germs and prevent others from getting sick. If others return to work still sick, try to avoid their workspace if possible. Be conscious of putting your fingers near your mouth before they are properly washed. You may not be able to stop others from coming to work sick but you can help prevent your own illness. Get enough sleep at night and exercise often to keep your body’s immune system strong.
If you have been exposed to diseases on the job that may be more serious in nature, make sure to protect your rights to proper medical treatment. Contact our legal team today at 888-799-3918 or by using our online contact form for more information about workers compensation benefits.
