Workers Face Daily Risk From Falls on the Job
Workers in North Carolina may face an array of unexpected dangers on the job. Whether they work in an environment with known risks, like construction, or in a less physical space, like a typical office, employees may face a number of hazards leading to workplace accidents and injuries. For example, falls, slips and trips are the cause of many serious incidents in the workplace. While many people may think of this type of accident as minor, they have taken lives. In fact, in 2014 alone, 660 workers were killed in accidents related to falls from a height while 138 workers lost their lives when they fell at the same level.
It can be easy to ignore potential workplace safety risks, especially if someone goes through the same paths on a daily basis. However, extra vigilance can help a person avoid serious injuries.
How to Prevent Falls on the Job
- For example, in order to prevent falls at the same level, it can be important to remove hazards and obstacles and clean up liquid spills as soon as they occur to prevent the hazard from posing a risk to many more people.
- Other steps, like wearing nonslip footwear and avoiding emailing or texting from a mobile phone while walking, can also help people avoid workplace falls.
- On a construction site, falls from heights are some of the riskiest workplace accidents. In 2016, 370 of the 991 construction workers killed in fatalities on the job died as a result of falling from a higher to a lower level. Proper fall protection equipment can be important to prevent these types of severe incidents.
When workers are hurt in a slip-and-fall accident on the job, the consequences can be severe and costly, including lost wages and medical bills. A workers’ compensation lawyer from The Law Offices of John Drew Warlick, P.A. can help injured workers protect their rights and secure the compensation they deserve.
