Beginning in January of 2015, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) imposed expanded reporting requirements. Under the new more strict requirements, employers had to report injuries within 24 hours whenever an amputation occurred or whenever a worker lost vision in one or both eyes. Employers also had to report hospitalizations in a timely manner. After the new reporting requirements were in effect for a year, OSHA assembled a report of the injury risks faced by workers across different sectors.
The results of the newly released OSHA report provide a troubling look into some high-risk industries where there is a significant chance of employees getting hurt or killed on-the-job. When an injury or fatality happens in these sectors, or in any profession, an Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyer should be consulted by the injured worker or his family. An experienced attorney can provide invaluable assistance to workers in making sure they get the benefits they need to cover work https://www.vansantlaw.com/practice_areas/atlanta-workers-compensation-attorneys.cfminjury costs.
OSHA Report Shows Atlanta Workplace Injury Risks
OSHA’s new report reveals a total of 10,388 serious injuries reported under the new requirements imposed beginning January 1, 2015. The report covered a one year period of time. Of the 10,388 reports of injuries made between January 2015 and January 2016, there were 2,644 reports made because of amputations and 7,636 reports of injuries which necessitated the hospitalization of the injured worker. This means there were about 30 incidents every single day when an employee was hurt badly enough on the job to go to the hospital or where a worker lost a body part.
While injuries happened across all industries, certain jobs were much more dangerous than others. Manufacturing and construction, in particular, were found to be high risk professions with high injury rates. Of the workers who were hospitalized, 26 percent were doing manufacturing jobs and 19 percent were doing construction jobs when they got hurt badly enough to require inpatient care. Of the workers who had to get amputations, 57 percent were working jobs in the manufacturing field when they lost a body part and 10 percent of the amputees were doing construction work.
Transportation and warehousing was also a dangerous industry, with 10 percent of hospitalized workers doing jobs within this field. The third most common sector where workers suffered amputations, on the other hand, was wholesale trade work.
As disturbing as the data is showing that workers are so badly hurt around 30 times daily, the actual reality could be much worse. This is because OSHA estimates suggest approximately 50 percent of the serious injuries and amputations which should be reported are never actually reported. Many more workers could be hurt, and every worker who is harmed on-the-job needs to get help from an injury attorney who can assist with the process of getting benefits.
Have You Been Injured On The Job?
If you’ve been injured at work you need to speak with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as possible.Contact us online or call our office directly at (800) 234-9556 to schedule your free consultation.