JENKINTOWN PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS

Today, 150 Americans will die as a result of their work.

This figure comes from a new study by the nation’s largest trade union, the AFL-CIO. In 2011, 4,693 America workers were killed while on the job. Another 50,000 died from work-related diseases. When combined, these numbers add up to 150 work-related deaths per day.

Common causes of workplace deaths:

• Driving
• Assault/violence/homicide
• Equipment accidents including defective equipment
• Falls
• Electrocutions
• Struck by an object
• Caught in between

What does this mean? Each day, an average of 115 Americans die in car crashes. This means you are more likely to die from a Pennsylvania workplace injury than from a Pennsylvania car crash.

According to the AFL-CIO, there is more that the government can do to protect workers. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is supposed to ensure that American workplaces are safe. Yet, OSHA is chronically understaffed. At present staffing levels, it would take OSHA 113 years to check the country’s 8 million workplaces.

Most common workplace safety violations:

• Lack of or inadequate fall protection
• Improper or inadequate scaffolding
• Improper hazard communication
• Inadequate respiratory protection
• Lockout/tagout violations
• Defects in electrical, wiring methods
• Violations involving powered industrial trucks
• Ladder violations
• Failure to meet general electrical requirements
• Improper machine guarding

We assume our workplaces are safe. Yet, each year, more than 3.8 million Americans suffer from work-related injuries and diseases. The AFL-CIO says this is an underestimate. According to government studies, the real number of American workplace injuries may be closer to 11 million.

Injured Americans have a right to seek workers’ compensation when they are hurt while on the job. However, many people are afraid to report workplace injuries. If you are afraid of your employer’s reaction to your injury, contact a Philadelphia workers’ compensation attorney.