Pittsburgh Workers' Compensation And Personal Injury Blog

Workers in Pennsylvania may face a number of risks on the job on a daily basis. People who are hurt in workplace accidents could lose wages and businesses lose revenue as a result. However, many on-the-job injuries are preventable. In many other cases, the severity of the injury can be lessened by taking proper safety precautions.

One of the most common workplace injuries is a slip-and-fall accident. According to some figures, one-third of all on-the-job injuries are caused by slips, trips and falls. While they may sound like relatively minor incidents, they can be serious and lead to back and spinal cord injuries, head trauma and traumatic brain injuries, pulled muscles, sprains and broken bones. Approximately 15 percent of all accidental workplace fatalities are caused by falls and slips while they comprise 17 percent of permanently disabling workplace injuries. Businesses can reduce the risk of these potentially devastating injuries by properly cleaning up, warning and labeling slippery areas. Uneven or damaged walkways should also be repaired to avoid workers slipping and falling.

In January 2015, certain changes to OSHA's injury and illness record-keeping rule went into effect. However, according to an audit report from the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, OSHA may not be doing enough to keep thorough records of serious and fatal workplace injuries. The audit was released in September 2018 and may be of interest to employers in Pennsylvania.

The OIG estimates that OSHA may have let 50 percent or more injury cases go unreported and that it is inconsistent in the way it issues citations against late reporters. The OIG also points out a lack of training regarding the detection and prevention of underreporting. There may be a lack of resources on OSHA's part that limits its ability to provide enforcement and compliance assistance.

Pittsburgh construction workers have one of the most dangerous jobs in America. While construction workers make up only 6 percent of the U.S. workforce, they account for over 20 percent of all worker deaths in the private sector. In 2016, nearly 1,000 construction workers lost their lives in job-related accidents, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Workplace safety advocates say that more than 60 percent of construction accidents are preventable. For example, falls are one of the most common causes of worker injuries and deaths in the construction industry. However, they can be easily prevented by following basic industry safety standards, including the consistent use of fall protection equipment, properly sized ladders and stable work surfaces. Another common cause of injuries and deaths is workers being struck by objects, including work vehicles. These accidents can be prevented by creating clear vehicle routes on worksites and training workers on the proper use of equipment.

Sharing the road with large trucks and semis can be daunting for any driver, but especially a new driver. Making sure you are safe while on the road with a large truck is important, as you need to follow different guidelines than you might when simply sharing the road with fellow car drivers.

Large truck crashes are common. In 2016, truck crashes resulted in almost 4,000 deaths. The driver of the smaller vehicle often unintentionally causes these accidents, due to not knowing the proper way to share the road with colossal vehicles.