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The Most Dangerous Industries

On Behalf of | Dec 7, 2018 | Workplace Injury |

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If you have not looked at the charts put out each year by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, you should. They show us some important information about worker injuries that many people do not realize.

When people think of dangerous jobs, their minds jump to popular TV shows that show people flying off of fishing boats or on the side of a hill chopping trees down. To be sure, these are dangerous industries, but what is the reality of worker injuries in the country?

If we look at the number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses, we see that the top ten most dangerous are:

  • Healthcare and social assistance
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail trade
  • Accommodation and food services
  • Transportation and warehousing
  • Construction
  • Wholesale trade
  • Administrative and waste services
  • Professional and technical services
  • Arts, entertainment, and recreation

That is a wide range of industries. Some of them may have you wondering what kind of injuries people could sustain. We all understand that manufacturing jobs are dangerous, but retail?

When you need a San Diego work injury attorney, it would be helpful if we looked at some of the types of injuries people can sustain on-the-job.

Types Of Injuries

The BLS tells us that there were nearly three million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported in 2016, the latest full reporting year. Many of those were the traumatic injuries you usually associate with the workplace. These are often caused by:

  • Trips and falls
  • Getting struck by objects
  • Electrocutions
  • Tool mishaps
  • Vehicle accidents
  • And more

Repetitive stress injuries are also very common in the workplace. These occur when a worker repeats the same motion over and over again for a long period of time. The most common type of RSI is carpal tunnel syndrome, something you have likely heard of. This is not the only type of RSI.

Repetitive stress injuries affect people in many industries, from office workers and those in construction to those who work on factory assembly lines. Anytime a person is performing repetitive tasks, they run the risk of developing an RSI.

Mental health illnesses can develop in high-stress jobs. We know many workers are prone to developing depression, anxiety, and PTSD due to their workplace conditions. While many think of these illnesses developing in jobs like law enforcement and social work, they can occur in any job where the pressures become too much to handle.

Respiratory illnesses can be caused by prolonged exposure to chemicals, fumes, and dust particles. The illnesses that arise sometimes take years to manifest and are often the result of a lack of proper respiratory equipment on the job.

Steps You Can Take

If you or a loved one have been injured in a workplace incident due to the negligence of another person, company or agency, seek legal assistance now. At Hiden, Rott & Oertle, LLP, our qualified and experienced team is ready to help you secure the compensation you need for all of your injury-related expenses. When you need a San Diego work injury attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling our office.

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