According to new information from the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of fatal injuries in the workplace decreased 5 percent from 2012 to 2013. That is obviously a good thing, though the need for improvement remains, particularly in certain categories of accidents. Last year, 3.2 out of 100,000 full-time employees die, which is still too many.
When it comes to workplace safety, not all jobs are created equal. Some industries involve more risk than others, as do certain regions of the country, it seems. Of course, some activities on the job involve more risk than others. For example, travelling anywhere while on the job is the easiest way to increase one’s risk of injury or death.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, transportation accidents account for 40 percent of workplace deaths, and nearly 60 percent of these are 60 percent traffic accidents. Most of these are traffic accidents, though some are pedestrian accidents. Other on-the-job accidents include homicides, suicides, and falls, among other types.
In the state of Pennsylvania, less than half-seventy out of 178 total-of workplace deaths were caused by transportation accidents last year. Being hit or caught by an object or injured by machinery were also common occurrences.
Those who suffer from workplace injury, regardless of their occupation, have the right to seek workers’ compensation benefits appropriate to their circumstances. Injured workers who run into problem obtaining benefits due to them should work with an experienced attorney to ensure their rights and interests are protected.
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Workplace fatalities fall 5 percent in 2013,” September 12, 2014.