Wisconsin carpet installer job duties often cause workers compensation claims from carpet laying job duties over time. There are traumatic work injuries from a single work-related accident when laying carpet, but far more common are low back injuries or knee injuries from overuse or carpet laying job duties over many years because the work is so physically demanding.
First, carpet installers must measure and prep rooms for the installation of carpet. This may involve moving furniture from area to be carpeted and removing old carpet and padding. Measuring rooms and drawing up specifications for carpet is not physically taxing but tearing up and disposing of old flooring and carpet is very physical. This means bending at the waist, reaching and lifting and carrying at times over 50 lbs. Next, carpet layers fasten a tackless strip to the floor which involves being on your knees and bending over. Installing the padded cushion is not heavy labor, but it does involve more bending and knee work. Carrying in the new carpet can involve lifts and carrying of over 100 lbs. Then the carpet layer rolls out, measures, marks, and cut the carpet into place bending again at the waist, twisting and turning while pulling carpet around the rooms. Positioning the carpet and stretching it to fit is hard on the low back and knees. Cutting off excess carpet and frays is more bent over work. Using a power stretcher to stretch carpet to fit walls helps and then one must hook it to the tackless strip. Finishing the edges with wall trimmer is bent over on the knees as it the work joining the carpet sections together for large rooms using heat-taped seams. Often the carpet is glued or stapled to the floor. Carpet layers utilize carpet-laying tools such as carpet shears, knee kickers, wall trimmers, loop pile cutters, heat irons, and power stretchers.
Physically, carpet installers must have trunk strength — the ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without ‘giving out’ or fatiguing. Also, extent flexibility — the ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs. Finally static strength — the ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects. Carpet installers are on their feet standing and walking continuously, and must be able to reach outstretched, climb, balance, kneel, crouch and crawl continuously. Must be able to carry up to 75 lbs and lift over 100 lbs at times.
[nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-1″] attorneys in Milwaukee, Wisconsin represent injured carpet layers in workers compensation claims involving lumbar or low back pain injuries and neck or cervical injuries.
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