March 10, 2021 | Workers' compensation

Work-related injuries can occur at any time and they can affect any type of worker. No matter where you work and what position you hold, there’s a good chance that you will get injured while on the job. Even office workers who sit at a desk for majority of their work hours can be injured in a work-related incident.

Work-related injuries and illnesses can be minor. They can also be serious and life-altering. In some cases, these injuries or illnesses can be fatal. Workers’ compensation is designed to ease the financial burden on injured workers and their dependents as they deal with the consequences of the work-related injury or illness.

Workplace injury statistics you should know

A 2020 report by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) placed the workplace injury rate at 2.8 cases per 100 full time workers. This figure has remained unchanged for the last 15 years. The report also indicated the following as the most common workplace injuries.

• Overexertion

Overexertion injuries can result from repetitive motion. These repetitive tasks can result in strain or stress on a particular part of the body. These small tasks often do not involve strenuous activity.

Overexertion can also be the result of physical effort directed at outside sources. For example, activities such as pushing, holding, throwing and lifting can result in strains, sprains, fractures or dislocation.

Overexertion injuries affect 27 out of every 10,000 fulltime workers, with the back being the part of the body that is most frequently affected. A total of 275,590 cases were reported in 2019. Workers that are at highest risk of injuries from overexertion are those working in transportation and warehousing. These injuries resulted in the loss of 13 workdays on average.

• Slips, trips and falls

Slips, trips and falls affect 23.9 workers out of 10,000 fulltime workers. A total of 244,000 cases were reported in 2019.These accidents often result in injuries such as sprains, strains and tears.

Falls on the same level were the most common type of accident under this category. These accidents include tripping, slipping as well as falling onto or against objects or surfaces that are on the same level as the victim. Another common type of slip, trip and fall accidents involves falling on a lower level. This includes falling from a structure that is collapsing, through a surface, from ladders or other raised structures.

The average lost work days resulting from these accidents is 13 days. Workers that are at highest risk of suffering these injuries are those that work in transportation, agriculture and warehousing.

• Accidents involving machinery, tools or equipment

These accidents affect 22.4 workers out of 10,000 fulltime workers. A total of 229,410 cases were reported in 2019. These accidents involved moving objects striking workers, workers striking against machinery or equipment, e.g. stepping on or getting pushed or thrown onto the machinery, parts of the worker’s body getting squeezed, compressed, pinched or crushed by equipment, workers being caught under collapsing equipment, injuries from vibration and injuries from friction or pressure.

The average days of work lost as a result of these injuries was 5 days. Injuries that most frequently resulted from these accidents include lacerations, cuts and punctures.

• Transportation incidents

There were 49, 430 work-related transportation incidents reported in 2019. Transportation incidents may involve collisions while in a work vehicle or being struck by a work vehicle. They may involve different forms of transportation including road, rail, flight and water.

• Violence and other injuries by persons or animals

Employers often take precautions to limit access to workplaces to only those with a legitimate reason to be on the premises. However, workers can become the victims of violent acts as a result of visitors to the premises such as disgruntled former employees, estranged spouses or even total strangers. Employees may also be assaulted by their managers or colleagues.

There are also incidents where workers are assaulted by animals. For example, a delivery person may be assaulted by a dog while delivery a package.

There were 44,480 cases of violence and other injuries by persons or animals reported in 2019.

• Exposure to harmful substances or environments

There are many useful products that have the potential to be harmful to our health. Training of employees and providing them with proper personal protective equipment (PPEs) is important to ensure their safety. It is also important for employers to do all they can to reduce exposure to harmful products, e.g. by locking the products away and controlling access to these products.

Unfortunately, accidents can occur, which can result in the exposure of workers to these harmful products. Workers may also be exposed to products as a result of their environment. For example, workers in a factory with asbestos building material may develop respiratory issues.

If you have been affected by a work-related injury or illness, get in touch with us. We are workers compensation attorneys operating in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska. We’ll help you fight for the compensation you deserve.

Workers Compensation Attorneys Omaha NE