Hidden Costs of Prescribing Painkillers for Work Injuries

When employees are injured at work, a recent study reveals that receiving more than a one week supply of opioids or two or more opioid prescriptions soon after an injury doubles a worker’s risk of disability at one year post injury, compared with workers who do not receive opioids.

The detrimental impact of prescription painkillers can continue after a worker returns to work, as anyone taking painkillers for for several weeks may already be dependent and developing tolerance to the drugs resulting in higher dosages. Not only do employers face increased workers’ compensation costs, but may also be held financially accountable for problems in the workplace and overdose deaths of injured workers related to opioid treatment.

Although the prescribing opioids has come under increased scrutiny, prescription opioid use and misuse is still an issue that employers grapple with everyday. Nearly all employers believe taking opioids even as prescribed can impair job performance, not to mention common incidences of abuse or misuse, yet few employers have clear policies regarding prescription opioid use on the job:

• Only 60 percent of workplaces require employees to notify the employer when they are using a prescription opioids.
• Only half of employers say they are ‘very confident’ they their human-resources policies and resources address opioid use and misuse in the workplace, leaving the other 50 percent scrambling when things go wrong.
• The majority of employers acknowledge they are not ‘very confident’ that individual employees can spot warning signs of opioid misuse, presenting a danger for all employees especially those in safety sensitive jobs.
• Roughly forty percent of employers show a willingness to return an employee to work after he or she receives treatment for misusing prescription opioids.

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If you have been injured at work contact the Des Moines workers’ compensation attorneys at Hemminger Law Firm for  immediate assistance and your free consultation at 515-283-2116.