Occupational Injuries: High-Risk Jobs
Between four and five of every 100 workers in the US will be injured or suffer illness related to their jobs this year. Around 5000 employees will die in work-related injuries. The National Institute for Safety and Health reports that 15 American workers die every day from occupational injuries. Transportation fatalities typically comprise nearly 40 percent of all those suffered by employees, no surprise when the national rate of traffic fatalities involves 2 percent of all drivers . However, transportation includes airplane, railroad, and trucking accidents.
According to national census figures, the highest number of fatalities and injuries occurs in the construction industries. Agriculture, forestry and fishing aren’t far behind, which won’t raise eyebrows among loggers, lumbermen, and fishermen or their families. These are closely followed by manufacturing. Office and retail workers are not immune: falls, strains from lifting, and illnesses related to asbestos or other toxic substances are among the concerns in offices, schools, and stores.
The good news is that the number of non-fatal injuries and illnesses suffered on the job that required days off work has decreased in recent years, with at least one notable exception: nurses, orderlies, and attendants, for whom the rate increased 12% from 2006 to 2007, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The National Institute for Safety and Health reports that 15 American workers die every day from work-related injuries.
Workplace safety is a major issue for all employers, costing Americans multi-billions of dollars every year in lost production and medical expense.