California workers should be cognizant of the injury and fatality statistics presented by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Certain jobs are more dangerous than others for injuries or deaths. However, even jobs that might not seem particularly dangerous can result in injuries. People who have been hurt or lost a loved one should keep track of this information to be better prepared and to seek compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit.
The latest statistics from the BLS show that there were 5,190 fatalities at places of employment in the U.S. in 2016. This was a rise of 7 percent from the previous year. The information comes from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. For every 100,000 full-time equivalent employees, there were 3.6 deaths. This is an increase from 3.4 in 2015. Breaking the statistics down, those employed in the construction industry had an increase of 54 deaths from 937 to 991. Of these, 631 were in the so-called “specialty trades.”
In manufacturing, there was a decrease of 35 from 353 to 318. As for age groups, workers 55 and older had the highest total. This group had 1,848 fatalities. Those in the transportation industry had the highest number of incidents that resulted in deaths in 2016 at 2,083. This accounted for around a quarter of all fatal injuries. Twenty-three percent of deaths were due to violence in the workplace. There was a rise of 32 percent for those who overdosed on the job. People who slipped, tripped or fell were killed in 849 of the accidents. That was a rise of 6 percent.
Any job can be dangerous. Some, of course, leave workers at a higher risk than others. When there is an accident at work, the injuries and fatalities can leave a family reeling. From medical expenses, lost income, hospital stays, extended care and funeral expenses, it is crucial that the family understand their rights to seek compensation for loved ones who were hurt or killed in high risk occupations or any other kind of job.
Source: dwmmag.com, “U.S. Workplace Deaths Increased in 2016,” Dec. 20, 2017