Trade workers see a higher rate of musculoskeletal injuries, chronic pain conditions and longer recovery periods, yet most benefits plans weren’t built with these recovery timelines or risk profiles in mind, says Kim Zinck, president of the Disability Management Institute.

A single lost-time injury can cost an employer between $117,000 and $234,000, according to the Institute for Work and Health. “Disability management requires understanding the actual physical demands of the job and then building return-to-work plans around those abilities to help foster [a safe] recovery,” says Zinck. “I think there are more creative solutions when that can’t be done. Work conditioning programs are good opportunities to bridge that return to the workplace in a safe and controlled setting.”

Read: How is disability management evolving amid remote work and technological change?

There are many differences related to well-being in trades, often influenced by factors........

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