Any worker, whether it is in California or anywhere across the U.S., will face certain dangers on the job. A workplace accident can happen regardless of the type of job the person does. The annual fatal accident numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics sheds light on the causes of these accidents and the industries in which they are most prevalent. Interestingly, the past has been a solid predictor for the future with these fatal workplace accidents. Workers and their families should pay attention to this information.
In the report, the 2017 numbers are referenced. It is comparable to prior reports as to the number of fatal workplace accidents, the ratios of those accidents, and how the workers were killed. A positive in this consistency is that employers can take steps to make workers safer based on this information. Most workers die in vehicles, when working at great heights, being caught in machinery, and workers being electrocuted. In 2017, there was a slight reduction in fatalities to 5,147 from 5,190. Although that reduction is less than 1 percent, it is still interrupting what had been a rise since 2009.
The riskiest profession had been logging, but commercial fishing surpassed that in 2017. Flight engineers and aircraft pilots; roofers, those working in collecting recyclable items and refuse; iron and steel workers; truck drivers; agricultural workers; supervisors in landscaping; and power-line installers were, in order, the next most dangerous occupations. Gender disparities remain in place. In 2017, the fatalities for male workers were 9.5 times as likely as that of a female worker.
Older workers were especially vulnerable with workers over 65 accounting for 10.3 fatalities out of every 100,000 workers. That came to 15 percent of all on-the-job fatalities. The biggest danger for workers remains being on the road at 40 percent. However, fatal falls have grown to the most since the Census for Fatal Occupational Injuries began keeping a record more than 25 years ago. 887 workers died in these incidents – 17 percent of all 2017 workplace deaths.
While construction workers, law enforcement and heath care workers are generally seen as being in high risk occupations, the loss of a loved one can happen no matter the job. When a person has died while working, it can have financial implications for the worker’s family. It will also impact them personally and emotionally. A legal filing is often necessary to account for all that was lost. Calling a law firm that has experience in helping families left behind file a wrongful death lawsuit is imperative to being compensated.