FACTS
- The most common OSHA violation is fall protection in construction.
- However, the risk of falling should be taken seriously in any work environment. Fatal falls account for 17.2% of fatal workplace injuries, representing a 26-year high, and about a quarter of these falls occur from heights of 10 feet or less.
- “Falls on the same level” (e.g., tripping) are the second most common cause of workplace injuries. (The most common they found is overexertion).
- The second most common OSHA violation is inadequate or otherwise non-compliant hazard communication in general industry.
- Non-fatal accidents are also incredibly common. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report that private industry employers reported nearly 3 million non-fatal workplace injuries in 2016.
- The 2017 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index also reports that the most serious workplace injuries cost U.S. companies almost $59.87 billion annually.
- Workplace safety can include aspects you might not normally think about. For example, fatal drug overdoses are happening in the workplace with increasing frequency, with 272 deaths in 2017, an increase of 25.3% from 2016.
STATS
- In 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) noted private employers reported 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses … in 2015, which occurred at a rate of 3.0 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers.
- Overexertion is the leading cause of workplace injuries. Injuries related to overexertion are “typically related to lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, carrying or throwing.”
- Getting struck by objects or equipment is the third most common type of workplace injury.
- Approximately 300,000 people go to the emergency room every year due to eye injuries sustained in the workplace. About 40 percent of these injuries are sustained in industrial settings, such as manufacturing, construction, or mining. Non-industrial occupations with the most emergency room visits for eye injuries include leisure/hospitality, education, and healthcare.
- Four out of every ten hand injuries are cuts or punctures, a large percentage of which result from workers failing to wear cut-resistant gloves. In some cases, workers do not have the proper gloves while in others, they simply choose not to wear them – both of which are serious safety issues that need to be corrected.
- Approximately 25 percent of workers report having lower back pain, a reality that they say is quite costly for employers. The IBI asserts the average cost of lower back pain to employers runs $34,600 for each 100 employees per year. This figure takes into account absenteeism, short and long-term disability, workers’ compensation, and reduced performance while at work.
- Musculoskeletal disorders, sometimes referred to as ergonomic injuries, are responsible for around one-third of lost work time due to work-related injuries.