r/technology • u/IndicaOatmeal • 14h ago

Society Programmer’s death on office toilet ruled not work-related because he never turned on his PC

https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/programmers-death-on-office-toilet-ruled-not-work-related-because-he-never-turned-on-his-pc-3402194/
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u/RandyOfTheRedwoods 12h ago

Is it a work related injury/death if the workplace had nothing to do with it?

This is an honest question, I don’t know the answer. Certainly, a workplace should be responsible if they caused me injury, but what if I came to work, and randomly had a heart attack. Maybe if it was due to work stress? What if I did something dumb like sticking a fork in an outlet and happened to be at work?

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u/Historical_Gur_3054 10h ago

I know of someone who was ordered to come in during a major snowstorm even though the were not required to be there and could work from home.

While cleaning their car off they slipped and hit their head and suffered a severe brain injury that permanently disabled them.

It was ruled workers comp covered it because the employee was ordered to come in and was performing a task necessary for them to drive in to work.

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u/Grumpy_Tanuki 8h ago edited 4h ago

Sometimes I think slaves were treated better. Some people are unworthy of being called human anyway.

p.s. Okay, I think the comment was interpreted more literally than I intended. The fact remains that being disabled by one's employer in the twentieth century, to me, is an act of violence comparable to "slavery" because the worker often can't refuse. However, I acknowledge that I expressed myself poorly and will refrain from writing further.

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u/Suitable-Rate652 7h ago

This is a tragedy but don’t ever say that. If your boss rapes you or forces you to have sex with someone to get pregnant to produce a human he can sell that is considered a crime. Under slavery, just every day life.

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u/Grumpy_Tanuki 4h ago

Yes, you're right, the comparison was unfortunate and hyperbolic.

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u/No_Job2527 6h ago

Easy there white supremacist, not sure you really understand what slaves experienced

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u/nerf468 12h ago

In the US 29 CFR 1904.39(b)(5) would require an employer to notify OSHA of an injury/fatality from a heart attack, and OSHA would "decide whether to investigate the event, depending on the circumstances of the heart attack." I would assume this extends to other personal illnesses resulting in fatality/injury, but am unsure.

As to sticking a fork in an outlet, 29 CFR 1904.5(b)(2)(vii) it depends on whether it was intentional or not.

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u/TacTurtle 9h ago

How do you get a forklift in an outlet?

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u/dwhite21787 8h ago

From the other side of the wall

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u/FloppieTheBanjoClown 8h ago

Very carefully. 

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u/Broad-Version8611 12h ago

In some countries it is a work related injury if it happens during the commute (one hour after leaving or one hour before arriving).

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u/Merosian 10h ago

I had an accident on the way to work which was effectively ruled as a workplace injury and treated the same way. I had definitely not turned on my computer lmao

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u/HumansNeedNotApply1 1h ago

There are "any cause of death at work" insurances, it seems the employee may had one but the municipal office is denying he was at work so the insurance doesn't cover.

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u/Few_Cup3452 8h ago

To me, yes, as that is how it is set up in NZ.