People become injured on the job at alarming rates across the country on a daily basis. As blue-collar workers face increasing demands to pack boxes, make products, deliver goods and stock shelves to keep up, these accidents may begin to spike.
Already, 4.7 million workers get injured per year, which works out to 12,900 workers per day, according to CBS News. This figure was current as of 2016. Younger workers fresh out of high school or college are especially likely to face injuries in the workplace. In fact, workers who are only a year on the job account for a quarter of work injuries.
Common Causes
While injuries can happen in any business and any industry, jobs that required lifting, carrying or lowering objects saw greater risks. These accounted for a third of workers’ compensation claims and led to strains, sprains, swelling and bruises. Even in professions where these tasks were not required, slip-and-fall accidents led to injuries. Tool accidents also ranked among the top-five injuries in most industries, but the injuries were often minor.
Possible Solutions
The CDC believes that everyone can play a role in workplace safety. This includes not just workers and the employer but even guests and customers. At the end of the day, responsibility rests with the employer to ensure the premises are safe from known hazards or that employees have the necessary gear to protect themselves.
Employees can also help to protect themselves by reporting any and all safety issues they encounter. Even if the employer does nothing to remedy the issue, it may work in their favor to have it on record that they reported the issue.
