With a location as frequented as the workplace, a high degree of safety is required. Dangers to in work environments are abundant and must be identified. Those that have gone unrecognized or ignored have caused serious consequences for many workers across the country. Despite employers’ claims about creating safe work conditions for their employees, many workers end up in the hospital with severe work-related injuries each year. If you were hurt on the job, employers and insurance companies will not be forthcoming and won’t put an injured worker’s needs above their financial bottom line.
The Most Dangerous Industries for Safety Hazards
Hazards are abundant and exist in all types of working conditions. The most dangerous jobs include roofing, iron and steel work, truck driving, and construction. Transportation has the most dangerous jobs of any industry, at 53%; however, the construction industry has the highest gross number of workplace deaths. This, along with the types of safety hazards that construction sites present, has long made this industry one of the most dangerous work environments for laborers. Common construction accident injuries include:
- Slip and fall at work
- Struck-by incidents
- Electrical shocks
- Toxic material exposure
- Burns
- Excessive noise
- Welding accidents
According to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), the other occupations with the highest injury risk include those in industries including transportation, installation, maintenance, repair, production, and more. The manufacturing industry yields 26% of worker hospitalizations and 57% of worker amputations.
Types of Workplace Safety Hazards
Safety hazards are the most prevalent of the six types of workplace hazards. Safety hazards in the workplace are unsafe working conditions that can cause injury, illness, and death and they are the most common workplace risks. Common workplace safety hazards include:
- Items that can cause slip and fall accidents or trip and fall accidents
- Falls while working from heights, including on ladders, scaffolds, roofs, and other elevated work areas
- Unguarded heavy machinery that a worker can get caught in or crushed by
- Electrical hazards such as faulty wiring
- Confined spaces
- Exposure to dangerous chemicals or other toxins
Regardless of the cause of your workplace injury or the type of injury you suffered, you should speak with a lawyer about the specifics of your situation to ensure you receive the maximum possible financial recovery so you can move forward and heal.
Common Accidents On-The-Job
Slip and Fall Accidents: A slip and fall can occur at work in many ways, including a slick floor, uneven flooring, missing nonskid material on stairs, weather hazards, and more. These workplace accidents can cause injuries ranging from sprains, strains, bruises, and concussions to broken bones and head injuries.
Electrocution Accidents: Electrical accidents are a major cause of on-the-job injuries and deaths each year, with the construction, utility, and manufacturing industries having the most. The most common ways workers can suffer an electrical injury are from coming into contact with exposed wires or overhead powerlines, a power supply not being properly grounded, wet working conditions, and more.
Fires, Explosions, and Burns: Workplace explosions are most likely to occur around hazardous substances like gas storage tanks, heat-powered tools, and open flames, common in manufacturing facilities, on construction sites, in oil refineries, and more. A workplace fire or explosion causes workers to get seriously hurt. In addition to burn injuries, they can also suffer from injuries after the blast throws them to the ground or they could be hit by flying debris. These hazards can also cause broken bones, internal injuries, and hearing or vision loss.
Heavy Machinery Accidents: Industrial workplaces require so much heavy machinery to get the job done efficiently and effectively; however, this equipment that helps so much with productivity can also cause some of the deadliest workplace accidents. Common heavy machinery accidents involve cranes, forklifts, backhoes, cherry pickers, excavators, and more.
Dallas, Texas Work Injury Lawyers
Under federal and state law, companies must provide a safe workplace for their employees, meeting specific standards. If they fail to do so, they can be held legally accountable for the resulting damages caused, which is why it is important to understand your injury at work rights. Due to the nature of many workers’ jobs, they are exposed to the risk of workplace accidents and severe injuries both because of the equipment they work with and because of the dangerous work environments where their work takes place. The personal injury lawyers of Wolf Law, PLLC represent injured victims hurt in hazardous work conditions.