The numbers are mind-boggling. A worker is injured on the job every seven seconds in the United States, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). At that rate, 510 workers are hurt every hour, and 12,600 are injured each day.
The impact on workers can be devastating to their health as well as their financial well-being. Using 2017 statistics, the NSC says 4.6 million people are injured, and 104 million production days are lost each year due to work-related injuries.
Occupations forced to miss work most often
While no profession is immune, the top five occupations where workers miss work due to injuries are:
- Service industry, including police and firefighters
- Transportation and shipping
- Manufacturing and production
- Maintenance, repair and installation
- Construction
What are OSHA’s Fatal Four?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says of the 4,674 workers who died in private industry in 2017, one out of every five was in construction. OSHA has a public awareness campaign seeking to educate employers and workers over safety for these four top injuries leading to death:
- Falls: Caused 39.2% of all construction deaths in 2017
- Being struck by objects: Responsible for 8.2% of fatalities
- Electrocution: 7.3% of construction workers who died were electrocuted
- Caught in between objects: 5.1% of construction workers died after being crushed, caught or hit by collapsing structures, equipment or material
Seek knowledgeable legal advice if you are injured
While there are many steps you can take to be safe at your job, it is your employer’s responsibility to provide a safe workplace by providing proper training, adopting policies and practices promoting safety and keeping a workplace free of hazards. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney here in Mississippi can help you get the benefits you deserve if you are injured on the job.
