Anyone in the workforce in the United States has the right to expect that they will have a safe workplace. Laws in this country put the onus on the employer to ensure that all safety regulations are followed, but keeping workers safe goes beyond that.
Learning about some of the current injury trends and hazards that are common in specific industries, as well as those that are present across all employment sectors, can benefit employees as well as employers. The National Safety Council provides data about these matters that make it easier to determine how to improve safety.
Common hazards workers face
Falls, incidents related to transportation, and contact with objects are some of the more common hazards that workers face which consistently cause serious injuries or fatalities. This doesn’t mean that they’re the only hazards employers should address. Instead, this is a good starting point for them to improve employee safety.
The specific industry in which employees work has a primary impact on the hazards they are most likely to face. For example, slips and falls are a common hazard for office workers, but automobile crashes are more common for delivery drivers. Contact with objects is something that’s common where equipment is being used, such as the manufacturing and construction industries.
Employees who suffer an injury at work should report it right away to their employer. This triggers the workers’ compensation process, which requires employers and their workers’ compensation carriers to investigate the claim and to accept or deny the injury within 21 days. Acceptance of the claim will, at a minimum, result in the employee having medical expenses covered which are reasonable, necessary, and related to the work injury. Other benefits such as wage loss or specific loss benefits may also be possible, but carriers will often try to get out of paying their obligations, and legal assistance may be helpful. Contact our law firm to learn more about your rights as an injured worker.