Do you think we modern age folk are responsible for coming up with the idea of workers' compensation? Well, think again! The concept can be traced back to a f-arrrg more surprising source, me hearties. In the 18^th century pirates were in peril every day on the job – taking from people who didn't want to give made for a hostile working environment. Add weapons to the equation and the job became downright deadly.

This high-risk atmosphere led to the establishment of well organised system of protection for injured workers.

Piratesinfo.com outlines some of the injury compensation figures:

• Loss of an eye - 100 pieces of 'eight' (Spanish dollar);
• Loss of a finger - 100 pieces of eight;
• Loss of left arm - 500 pieces of eight;
• Loss of right arm - 600 pieces of eight;
• Loss of left leg - 400 pieces of eight; and
• Loss of right leg - 500 pieces of eight.

In fact, pirates had a highly sophisticated work culture that could put to shame some modern work places.

They were organised. (Perhaps when armed sea battles are occurring on a daily basis you have to be.) Not only did they have in place a system of monetary compensation to match an injury, but injured workers could also be offered return to work programs which required of them lighter duties – non-physically demanding ship-work like operating cannons, cooking meals and cleaning the deck.

If pirates could provide a system that compensated injured workers while helping them get straight back into the workplace, then surely in our workplaces today (minus the swords and thievery) we can do the same.

To read more on the history of workers' compensation see the Christopher J. Boggs article in the Insurance Journal.