Data compiled by the National Safety Council (NSC) shows that as many as 100,000 manufacturing workers are injured each year on the job here in the United States. What’s concerning about this is that many of the employees in this field have specialized expertise. This means that employers can’t replace their workers with just anyone. This loss of labor adversely affects both productivity and profitability. There are some primary causes of manufacturing worker injuries.
Statistics compiled by The Travelers Indemnity Company, the U.S. Department of Labor and the NSC all show that one of the biggest injury threats that manufacturing workers face is getting hurt when making contact with an object. At least 40% of all employees who work in this sector are injured in such incidents each year.
The factor that causes the next highest amount of employee injuries is overexertion. At least 24% of the 114,327 manufacturing workers that were injured in 2013 were hurt while picking up heavy objects. Another 8% of industry employees suffered injuries while engaging in repetitive actions while on the job.
At least 19% of manufacturing worker injuries that same year were attributed to slips, trips and falls. Dirty or slippery floors or poorly lit staircases are just some of the many reasons that workers tend to become involved in these types of incidents on the job.
The final leading cause of manufacturing worker injuries is contact with harmful substances. Some 6% of employees in this field were hurt after having skin-to-skin contact with chemicals and other toxins in 2013.
It’s an employer’s responsibility to provide their workers with the necessary equipment and clean premises to keep them safe on the job. It’s common for companies to cut corners in the interest of making profits though. An attorney in Fremont can put their experience and skills to work for you so that you can pursue compensation benefits in your California workers’ compensation case.