Going to work is fairly routine for residents in Ohio. No matter what industry a person works in, he or she is likely aware of any potential concerns, risks or dangers in the work environment. Whether it is at a construction site or in an office building, employees are faced with a wide variety of obvious and hidden dangers. Thus, it is important that employees are aware of their rights in the event of a serious injury suffered in a workplace accident.
Based on statistics from 2015 to 2016, there were a total of 144 workers killed in workplace accidents. The type of accident that resulted in the most deaths was falling from heights. This represented 26 percent of these work fatalities. This was followed by being struck by a moving vehicle, occurring in 19 percent of these incidents. It was also found that moving objects caused 10 percent of these incidents.
This data also discovered that roughly 621,000 workers suffered a workplace injury as a result of a workplace incident. Of these, around 200,000 of these injuries required the employee to take more than three days off from work. In other terms, this amounted to an estimated 4.5 million lost working days; which means employers suffered due to these incidents as well.
While falling is a huge concern in certain industries, there are also less severe injuries that should be generally looked at and addressed. A worker could suffer muscle strains and pains related to their work activities. Repetitive movements or working in an awkward posture could cause injuries to the neck, back, shoulders and arms. Basic training and encouraging regular breaks could help reduce these injuries.
Slipping and tripping in the work environment is also a culprit for a wide variety of workplace injuries. Whether it is due to items left out, a loose mat, poor flooring, and open desk or file drawer, wet patches or fallen debris, falls can contribute to a wide variety of workplace injuries. Employers could increase their general housekeeping, provide anti-slip flooring, have employees wear non-slip footwear and utilize signs to caution any dangers.
Injured workers should consider their rights to recover workers’ compensation benefits. This could help offset the financial burdens caused by medical bills and lost wages.
Source: Reliableplant.com, “Common Workplace Accidents and How to Avoid Them,” Anna Jones, July 21, 2017