No worker heads to his or her job with the intention of winding up in the hospital or doctor’s office, but the reality is that workplace injury occur all the time in the United States. These injuries occur for a wide variety of reasons, some of which may come as a surprise. Whether you’ve been injured on the job and want to know how common your injuries are or you’re just interested in the subject of workplace safety, you can check out the five interesting statistics about workplace injuries below to find out more about the subject.
A Worker is Injured Every Seven Seconds
According to the National Safety Council, an average of one workplace injury takes place every seven seconds in the United States. That adds up to 510 new injuries every hour, or 12,300 workplace injuries per day. Although the vast majority of these injured workers should be eligible for workers compensation insurance, many of their claims are denied for reasons that are tenuous, at best.
More Than 5,000 Workers are Killed on the Job Each Year
If one injury every seven seconds sounds like a frighteningly high accident rate, the fact that over 5,000 workers lose their lives each year should really give you pause. According to OSHA, an average of 3.5 out of every 100,000 full-time workers die in workplace accidents each year. That’s nearly 100 deaths per week, or 14 deaths every single day.
Most Serious Workplace Injuries Occur in the Construction Industry
According to OSHA, more than 20% of worker fatalities occurring in the private sector consisting of construction accidents. The most common causes of serious and fatal accidents in the construction business include being struck by falling objects, electrocution, and getting caught between two heavy pieces of equipment or material. Many of these serious injuries can be prevented with adequate fall protection, training, and hazard controls, yet nearly 1,000 construction workers still die on the job every year.
Slips and Falls Constitute a Quarter of Workplace Injuries
Although the majority of fatal injuries occur in the construction industry, serious workplace injuries can occur in just about any environment. Even office workers can become severely injured in trip and fall accidents, for example, if their employers or fellow employees leave equipment lying around where it is likely to get in the way. This exact scenario is quite common with the National Safety Council estimating that 25% of all workplace injuries leading to missed work are the result of slips, trips, and falls, which can happen anywhere.
Around Half of Those Who Receive Workers Compensation Have Had a Claim Denied
Unfortunately, it is extremely common for employees who have been injured on the job to be denied workers compensation benefits when they first apply. If you’re dealing with a work injury and having trouble getting your benefits, you should know that 47% of these denied claims eventually lead to a settlement.
The Take-Away
Workplace injuries are an unfortunately common occurrence in the United States, which is why the worker’s compensation insurance program was originally put into place. Unfortunately, this system isn’t perfect and not all workers who are entitled to benefits are approved the first time they apply. There’s no need to despair if you have been injured on the job and your claim has been denied, though, since many of those who have been in the same position wind up being awarded settlements.
