In the US, an average of 13 people die every day while they are working. Although the overall number of workplace fatalities has fallen recently, accidental deaths in higher risk occupations are still on the rise. These accidents highlight the importance of protecting employees from danger in a range of work environments, and how all workers should be given equal access to safe jobs. At the same time, negligent employers should be held accountable for preventable fatalities that happen under their watch without fear of recrimination. For every working environment, the implementation of safety regulations and policies is essential in order to reduce the risk of fatal accidents and injuries.
Reducing the Risk of Work-Related Vehicle Accidents
Vehicle collisions are the leading cause of fatalities at work and, since hundreds of different occupations involve the use of a vehicle, the risk of an accident is high for many workers. This is true whether driving constitutes the main component of a job or just an incidental duty. Where negligent or dangerous driving is suspected in a fatal crash, a wrongful death lawyer will investigate the circumstances to discover its cause. As well as determining liability for an accident, the investigation of all work-related crashes, however minor, can help to reduce the risks faced by current and future workers, and avoid the devastating effects that a fatal collision may have on their families.
Protecting Construction Workers from Rising Rates of Electrocution
After a rise in workplace fatalities from electrocution, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is drawing the attention of all employers to the importance of safety when working with or near electricity. The majority of electrocutions occur in the construction industry where power-line workers, electricians, HVAC engineers and general laborers are vulnerable to higher rates of electric shock. As well as properly planning the use of temporary power on construction sites, contractors must ensure that nearby power lines are de-energized when work is ongoing, and that workers keep a safe distance from any electrical hazards.
Addressing the Increase of Injury and Illness in Healthcare
In 2020, healthcare employers saw rates of injury and illness in nursing assistants rise by almost 250%. More than 3,600 US health workers died during the first year of Covid but, even before the pandemic, healthcare workers regularly faced the risk of injury from lifting patients, exposure to infection and radiation, and increasing incidents of violence. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare workers are 5 times more likely to experience violence in the workplace and, in 2018, 4% of workplace homicides involved healthcare workers. As well as urging employers to tackle these hazards in their own organizations, OSHA is moving forward with industry-specific rulemakings to address the particular risks of infectious disease and workplace violence.
While the number of work-related fatalities has fallen recently, certain occupations and vocational activities still carry an increasing risk of death. Implementing health and safety procedures can help to significantly reduce the number of preventable fatalities occurring in the most risky working environments.