What are the Most Common On-the-Job Injuries?
When it comes to maintaining workplace safety, there is one organization that sets the standards most companies are meant to abide by: the Occupational Safety & Health Administration. OSHA, as it is most often called, is a federal agency that oversees a wide variety of industries whose workers could be at risk for physical injury. But having such an organization can only do so much, and despite inspections and rules set by OSHA, there are still those employers who neglect to provide the best safety possible for their workers. This results in on-the-job injuries, Workers’ Compensation claims, and sometimes, even deaths. Read on to discover what some of the most common on-the-job injuries are, what industries they occur in, and how workers can receive the compensation they deserve.
The Construction Industry and the “Fatal Four”
Construction workers are at a consistently heightened risk for injury, simply due to the nature of their jobs. They work with heavy equipment, hazardous tools, and in unsecured spaces. Nevertheless, it is the responsibility of employers to protect their workers and provide them with not only the necessary safety equipment, but also the proper training to ensure minimum risk on the job site. A lack of caution on the part of a construction employer could lead to one of what have come to be known as the “fatal four” construction injuries, which include:
-Falls (off of scaffolding, from great heights, etc.)
-Being struck by objects (items falling, being thrown, etc.)
-Electrocutions (faulty wiring, exposed wiring, etc.)
-Being caught (in between objects, on a piece of equipment, etc.)
While these types of on-the-job injuries can certainly lead to tragic deaths, they can also lead to severe injuries that put the employee out of work for an extended period of time. In these situations, it is vital that the employee in question pursues a Workers’ Compensation claim. Workers’ Compensation can help workers who have suffered from on-the-job-injuries by supplementing their income, covering their medical bills, and allowing them the time to make a full recovery before returning to work.
If you have experienced a common on-the-job injury and need to file a Workers’ Compensation claim, get in touch with Jenkins Block & Associates today.
We have four offices across Maryland and Virginia with trained legal professionals ready to assist you. Please CALL US at 1-800-243-2439 to be directed to the closest Jenkins Block & Associates location to you.
Source:
https://www.osha.gov/oshstats/commonstats.html