NSC says fatal workplace injuries are not accidents

Workers in California might be interested in statistics reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report indicates the primary causes of fatal workplace injuries that occurred in all industries nationwide throughout 2017. The National Safety Council responded to the CDC report by saying that employers and employees know how to save lives, and the failure to prioritize workplace safety leads to fatalities.

The NSC indicated that workplace deaths result from safety violations and should not be called accidents. The CDC further noted that the opioid epidemic and drug overdoses play a significant role in the declining life expectancy in the United States. The 2017 statistics show the highest number of preventable deaths in one year. Along with overdose deaths, auto crashes, falls, chokings, drownings and falls also contribute to preventable deaths nationwide.

Workplace accidents that caused most 2017 deaths were determined to have been auto crashes, followed by falls from heights and same-level falls. Next on the list is suffocation through choking, drowning and deaths caused by fires, smoke or flames. Mechanical asphyxiation also caused multiple work-related deaths, and so did excessive cold or heat exposure. When it comes to industrial facilities, machinery-related incidents and struck-by or against objects claimed the lives of many workers.

Workers in California whose employers do not prioritize employee safety will likely have to rely on workers’ compensation benefits to cover medical expenses and lost wages at some stage of their careers. In worst-case scenarios, it will be the surviving family members who will have to pursue financial relief after losing loved ones who suffered fatal workplace injuries. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help them with the navigation of death benefits claims to cover end-of-life expenses and provide financial assistance to make up for lost wages.