No one enters the work environment expecting to be injured. In fact, most employees are under the impression that their employer has taken proper steps to ensure their health and safety within the workplace. Nonetheless, serious workplace accidents can occur, causing workers in Connecticut and elsewhere to endure pain and suffering and miss work while they recover from the workplace injury.
Based on recent statistics by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, around 3 million workers in the U.S. private sector are injured each year. The rate for workplace injuries and illnesses remains the highest for small and mid-sized companies.
OSHA also discovered some of the most common causes and types of injuries in the workplace. Handling materials topped the list at 32 percent. This activity refers to the lifting, lowering, filling, emptying or carrying an item. Injuries caused by this activity typically include strains, cuts, sprains, fractures, punctures and contusions.
Slip-and-fall incidents in the workplace came in second, occurring in 16 percent of the cases. The third was being struck or colliding with an object, and this occurred in 10 percent of the cases. While it was found that the most common injuries were sprains, fractures and puncture wounds, the most severe injuries were amputations, dislocations, electric shocks, being crushed and suffering multiple traumas in a work accident.
When a worker is injured in a work accident, it is important to note that they are afforded rights. This includes filing for workers’ compensation. These benefits could help the worker address costs associated with the injury and even help them recover lost wages. While no one expects to suffer a work injury, it is crucial to understand what options are available and what can be done to offset the financial burdens caused by the incident.
Source: Entrepreneur.com, “These Are the Most Common, and Expensive, Injuries at Work,” Lindsay Friedman, May 17, 2016
