Workers’ Comp Insurance for Hardscape, Deck, & Patio Companies in Georgia

Workers’ Compensation insurance is required for most hardscape, deck, and patio companies in Georgia. When companies remain uncovered, they can be fined and face additional financial consequences.

The duties of hardscape, deck, and patio company employees put them at an increased risk for sustaining workplace injuries in Georgia. Certain accidents are more common in this industry, such as falls and incidents caused by sun exposure or dehydration. Workers’ Compensation is required for most hardscape, deck, and patio companies in Georgia, even those that only employ seasonal workers. Employees of these companies are typically eligible for Workers’ Compensation benefits, regardless of whether or not a company has insurance at the time of a workplace accident in Georgia.

To get a quote for your hardscape, deck, and patio company, call NPN Brokers at (561) 990-3022 and talk to our Georgia Workers’ Compensation insurance brokers today.

Workplace Duties of Hardscape, Deck, and Patio Companies in Georgia

Employees of companies that beautify the outdoor spaces of homes and other properties in Georgia have labor-intensive duties, which could ultimately make finding Workers’ Compensation insurance more challenging.

Working with cement, heavy machinery, dangerous tools, and other occupational hazards means that the duties of hardscape, deck, and patio workers put them at an increased risk for injury. Employees typically have to use saws and power tools and work long hours under the hot Georgia sun. Even if your company has never had a workplace accident, it will likely be considered high-risk, meaning carriers might respond negatively to your interest in finding a Workers’ Compensation plan in Georgia.

Fortunately, our Workers’ Compensation insurance brokers have established relationships with flexible carriers that do not shy away from companies that employ workers who perform duties related to hardscaping and patio or deck installation. Even if the responsibilities of your workers increase the chance that they will be injured on the job, your company can still get insurance that provides them with benefits and protects your business from having to pay those benefits in Georgia.

Workplace Accidents Commonly Seen by Hardscape, Deck, and Patio Companies in Georgia

Depending on the industry a company operates in, some accidents are more common than others. If your workers focus primarily on hardscaping or deck and patio installation, they may be at a higher risk of being injured in certain types of accidents.

Hardscaping involves incorporating the natural environment with the man-made. For example, hardscaping companies might be tasked with adding a walkway into a garden or adding stone steps up a hillside. This requires working outside, which could lead to heat exhaustion or dehydration in Georgia. Overheating can cause hardscaping workers to lose consciousness and fall, injuring themselves. Workers might also become dizzy or unfocused, leading to accidents involving tools or other materials.

The same can be said for patio and deck workers in Georgia. Those building a deck might fall from ladders if they are not properly harnessed. Falls can also happen because of exhaustion or overheating. Patio installers typically work knelt over, on their hands and knees. Such work might lead to back, knee, and neck injuries, especially if a person has been installing patios in Georgia for some time. Repetitive motion injuries are also not uncommon among such workers. These injuries are not caused by any one accident, but by a person repeatedly engaging in the same type of work for many years.

Workers’ Comp Insurance for Hardscape, Deck, and Patio Companies with Seasonal Workers in Georgia

The best time of year for outdoor work in Georgia is during the spring and summer. Because of this, hardscape, deck, and patio companies might be more likely to employ seasonal workers for a short time out of the year.

Even if your company is staffed with seasonal workers to perform hardscaping or deck and patio installation, it will need Workers’ Compensation in Georgia. There is no distinction between full-time employees and part-time or seasonal workers. All are considered regular employees and need to be covered by Workers’ Compensation, provided an employer has more than two workers in Georgia.

If you hire an independent contractor that does hardscaping work, you will not be responsible for providing them with Workers’ Compensation coverage.

Workers’ Comp Benefits Available to Employees of Hardscape, Deck, and Patio Companies in Georgia

Any regular employee of a hardscape, deck, or patio company is eligible to receive Workers’ Compensation benefits the moment their employment takes effect, provided their employer is mandated to have insurance in Georgia.

If an employee of your hardscape, deck, or patio company is hurt on the job, they can likely get Workers’ Compensation benefits in Georgia. This is provided that they did not cause their injuries intentionally. Workers can get benefits even if they are hurt because of their own mistake.

Benefits cover a portion of a worker’s lost wages as well as their medical expenses. No employee is eligible for benefits for pain and suffering from Workers’ Compensation in Georgia. When hardscape, deck, and patio companies follow Georgia’s rules and get Workers’ Compensation, they will not have to pay out of pocket for a worker’s benefits. Instead, their insurer will pay. This is made possible because of the premiums a company pays to its carrier over time.

If a hardscape, deck, or patio company fails to follow the rules and goes without Workers’ Compensation when mandated, it will be responsible for paying benefits to an injured worker. This means that the employee will be entitled to the same benefits, whether or not their employer has Workers’ Compensation in Georgia. In addition to this consequences, hardscape, deck, and patio companies can be fined thousands of dollars for non-compliance.

Get Coverage for Your Georgia Hardscape, Deck, and Patio Company

Find a policy for your hardscape, deck, and patio company by calling the Workers’ Compensation insurance brokers at NPN Brokers at (561) 990-3022.