Workplaces nowadays are significantly safer than they were just a few decades ago, owing to major advances in technology and safety equipment and increasing awareness of work-related risks and hazards from both employers and employees. However, statistics reveal a somber reality of workplace accidents increasing in recent years all across the United States.
Some employees are lucky enough to walk away unharmed or with only a few minor injuries. Others experience extensive physical and mental injuries as a result and can turn to a Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyer to claim compensation for their damages. But there's also a concerning number of fatalities caused by workplace accidents every year.
The 2022 edition of Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect puts things into perspective by providing relevant data on the state of health and safety in the United States. According to the report, in 2022, over 4,700 people died on the job due to workplace accidents. An additional 120,000 employees died due to occupational diseases. It is also revealed that older employees are at higher risk of being involved in a fatal work accident, with over one-third of casualties being workers aged 55 or older.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also offers some insightful data in this respect. The number of total fatal work injuries in the U.S. amounted to 5,190 in 2021, marking an 8.9% increase from the total of 4,764 fatalities registered in 2020. The fatal work injury rate of 3.6 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers in 2021 also represents the highest fatality rate reported since 2016. This means there is a person killed on the job every 101 minutes. As expected, high-risk sectors such as transportation and material moving occupations registered the highest number of fatalities, amounting to 1,523 deaths. The construction and extraction sectors also experienced high fatality rates (951) in 2021, although there was a 2.6% decrease from the previous year.
So, if we are living in the safest times ever, why do workplace accidents continue to rise? According to experts, improper training, lack of adequate personal protective equipment, poor health and safety protocols and procedures, as well as human errors seem to be the root causes of workplace accidents and the damaging consequences stemming from them. The Covid-19 pandemic might also play a role in the equation. With more people returning to work after nearly three years of health-motivated restrictions, it comes as no surprise that the number of workplace accidents and injuries is on the rise.
In order to address these issues effectively, employers need to introduce tougher safety inspections and audits so they can identify risks and hazards early on and find viable solutions to eliminate them. Additionally, making health and safety a priority by investing in the latest equipment and technology and focusing on employee training could also help mitigate common risks and make workplaces safer for everyone.
