WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS
Overview
Nearly 250,000 workers suffer injuries or illnesses on the job each year in Alabama, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some of the most dangerous jobs include those in construction, manufacturing, maritime industries, oil extraction, warehouse operations and transportation. But it is possible for a workplace accident to occur in any type of job. Even people in “safe” office jobs could be injured at work. Whatever the circumstances, Fortune & Beard can help you recover all of the compensation you deserve.
What constitutes a workplace accident?
Each year, the Department of Labor tracks and reports on the number of workplace accidents that occur each year. They then publish the top 10 most frequently cited OSHA standards violated. For 2016, those violations were:
- Fall protection, construction
- Hazard communication standard, general industry
- Scaffolding, general requirements, construction
- Respiratory protection, general industry
- Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general industry
- Powered industrial trucks, general industry
- Ladders, construction
- Machinery and Machine Guarding, general requirements
- Electrical, wiring methods, components and equipment, general industry
- Electrical systems design, general requirements, general industry
And while it is good to know what the most frequent violations that occurred were, it’s also important to know why they occur. Some of the common causes that lead to those workplace accidents include:
- Lifting
- Fatigue
- Dehydration
- Poor lighting
- Hazardous materials
- Workplace violence
- Trips and falls
- Stress
In many instances, a job-related injury or illness causes disability and threatens the injured person’s ability to pay for food, housing and other expenses. At Fortune & Beard, our attorneys are committed to protecting the rights of those who get hurt on the job. We respect the hard-working people of Alabama. We believe someone should be there for them to make sure they receive the benefits and compensation they deserve from every available source after a workplace accident.