The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there was a total of 175 fatal work injuries in 2014. According to data released by the Bureau of Labor, an average of 15 people are killed each day, and 200 more are hospitalized as a result of suffering catastrophic injuries sustained while at work. Additional data released by the Bureau of Labor indicate that each year more than 2 million people sustain a work-related injury that prevents them from ever going back to work.
What are the most Common Industries for Workplace Injuries?
Not every job is as safe as another job. Those who work in industries that work outside and those professions that involved skilled labor tend to have a higher prevalence of injuries than those professions that are wholly indoors. While a workplace injury can happen in any profession and to any worker, there are certain industries that tend to have a higher rate of workplace injuries. Some of these injuries include:
- Construction Industry – Construction workers are constantly at risk of injury. From loose ladders to falling tools and debris, to overextension and exertion. It is easy to see why many accidents occur on the construction site. While there have been continuing efforts to
- Manufacturing – Manufacturing jobs can be quite diverse from those making materials for cars and computers, to those who are making food products to be sent to restaurants and facilities. However, because of the wide range of jobs that fall under the manufacturing category, injuries are prevalent throughout the industry.
- Amusement park and arcades – Amusement parks are a great place to work and to visit. Sadly, these jobs have a high rate of injury due to the heavy machinery and often physically demanding tasks that workers are required to do to maintain the parks.
- Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment repair and maintenance – repairing any machinery or equipment can lead to injuries, but working with commercial and industrial machinery has been shown to have a much higher rate of injury than other fields.
- Mining – Pennsylvania has a booming mining industry that is robust despite the perceived notion that mining is a thing of the past.
- Veterinary services – working with animals is hard and can lead to many injuries. Surprisingly, there were more non-fatal injuries in veterinary services in 2014 than there were in construction.
Each job has a unique set of challenges that a worker must handle. However, no one is exempt from the possibility that they may be injured in an accident. While increases in safety measures have lead to a decrease in the amount of work related injuries leading to death, non-fatal injuries continue to pose a problem for workers.
What are Common Workplace Injuries?
Each injury is unique to the worker who experiences it. While no two injuries are alike and it is impossible to prevent all workplace injuries, how an employer goes about preventing an injury can be a determinative factor in whether or not an injury will occur. Employers are required to maintain a safe working environment for their employees and organizations such as the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, also known as (OSHA) set forth guidelines that employers should follow in order to protect workers from injuries, and even death. Some of the more common workplace injuries include:
- Overexertion – Pulling, lifting, and twisting while pushing or pulling heavy objects can lead to an injury known as overexertion. These types of injuries are one of the most common work-related injuries across all industries
- Motor Vehicle Accidents – Many jobs require their employees to use cars and vehicles to get from site to site. However, anytime you are on the road there is the chance that you will be involved in a motor vehicle accident. Even if you are a careful driver, another driver’s negligence can cause your injuries, resulting in you having to miss work.
- Falls – Slips, trips, and falls are also very common types of workplace injury and a common injury throughout all of the Pennsylvania. Every industry is affected by slip, trip, and fall injuries including those who work in office buildings. Any all can produce severe injuries, however, certain workers are exposed to more danger if their job entails them performing work at any height above the ground floor.
- Repetitive Motion Injuries – These injuries are more prevalent amongst construction industry and manufacturing workers, however, any worker who performs the same task in a repetitive fashion throughout the day can experience these injuries.
While employers generally have a duty to protect their employees from suffering injuries while they are performing work and on the job site, many times employers will attempt to skirt their duties and obligations by not providing the most up to date safety equipment or utilizing intimidation tactics. One of the most prevalent intimidation tactics that employer’s use is to make a policy that if you fall then you are fired. There is a saying in the construction industry, that if you fall off a ladder you are fired before you hit the ground. This is a clear attempt by employers to avoid their duty to provide a safe working space and shift liability to a worker. While these practices do not actually prevent an injured worker from recovering for their damages, they do place workers in a bad position.
If your job injury arises during the scope of your employment duties, you may be entitled to worker’s compensation or other benefits to cover your medical bills, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, and possibly death benefits.
Injured on the job? Contact a Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyer of The Reiff Law Firm
If you have been injured while working, do not wait to speak to an attorney. Our skilled workplace injury team and attorneys have over 34 years of experience handling claims of workplace injuries and understand the complex compensation laws and will fight to get you the compensation you deserve. We understand that when you have suffered a debilitating injury at work, you are concerned with being able to pay for your medical care, as well as being worried about supporting your family if you can no longer work. Let us put your mind at ease and help you with your job injury claim. Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation at (215) 274-0072 or at Reiff andBily.com, and we will put you on the road to recovery.