Hands-on work can be a rewarding, gratifying, and fulfilling calling for all of those involved. If you can’t picture yourself sitting at a desk working 9-5, 5 days a week, for 40 or more hours a week, then physically demanding labor might offer more of a satisfying, enjoyable alternative.
Unfortunately, this kind of labor comes with its own risks and drawbacks as well. According to the Bureau Of Labor Statistics, around 2.8 out of 100 full-time equivalent workers in the U.S. will suffer a nonfatal injury or illness that could keep them out of work.
Some fields will present different levels of injury or illness risks than others. We hope you never find yourself in serious harm’s way on the job, but regardless, it’s still important to be mindful of these different risks. Read on to educate yourself on the different injury risks in different injury-prone industries, and why you should hire a Huntsville workers’ compensation attorney in the event that you need to file a claim for benefits.
As it involves heavy machinery operation, the careful detonation of bulk explosives, and tunneling into surfaces that may be hot, dusty, rocky, or unstable, it’s no wonder that mining is an industry that is infamous for its occupational hazards.
Although these occupational hazards have improved since the brutal working conditions of the Industrial Revolution, Statista has logged dozens of mining deaths from 2005 to 2020, and there’s still plenty of concerns that miners should be cognizant of. One obvious concern, for example, is the improper handling of heavy machinery and mining explosives.
Both have the potential to violently maim, dismember, and injure those who end up in the unfortunate position of being caught in their path. The CDC attributes machinery to 25% of all fatal mining injuries, and those who improperly handle any mining equipment are bound to be considered liable.
One less obvious, though prescient harm, nevertheless, is the hazardous materials that miners are exposed to on a regular basis. A particularly carcinogen-risking subset in this industry is coal mining, where workers are subject to long-term coal dust exposure.
Long-term exposure to this dust can risk cancer, a whole host of pulmonary diseases, and “black lung,” which causes suffocating lung scarring. If your mining company fails to provide adequate safety and ventilation equipment, then they could possibly be deemed liable and negligent in a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.
Like mining, construction is another industry that is notorious for its taxing physical demands and occupational hazards. In fact, it arguably supersedes mining as being infamous for its occupational hazards. According to OSHA, 20% of private industry fatalities in 2019 were in the construction industry, meaning that construction workers accounted for roughly one in five workplace fatalities that year.
OSHA also lays out workplace safety standards for construction, which negligent and unsafe workplaces invariably end up violating. They can do so in a whole host of ways, and construction workers can wind up facing a whole host of injury risks, including:
Workers who suffer at the behest of these injury risks may be entitled to receive worker’s compensation, and if necessary, entitled to sue for the negligence of a third party.
A kitchen can be a fun and rewarding working environment. It’s fulfilling to feed people with delicious, delectable creations that you poured your heart and soul into. However, those who work in kitchens must contend with daily safety risks, which can lead to everything from minor injuries to emergency hospitalization.
If you work in a kitchen for a living, you should be wary of the following hazards that may risk injury:
Unfortunately, far too many restaurant kitchens neglect to curtail the risks of these safety hazards. And even if they do away with those obvious safety hazards, more covert ones may arise. Uncleanliness may lead to the spread of salmonella and E-Coli, and inversely, improper cleaning techniques may lead to toxic, caustic, and carcinogenic chemical exposure.
In 2020 alone, these unsafe conditions led to 93,800 nonfatal injuries and illnesses in restaurants across America, per the BLS. If you suffer an injury in a kitchen that forces you out of work, you may want to consider referring to a Huntsville workers’ compensation attorney.
Healthcare personnel don’t just have to wrangle with “doing no harm” to their patients – they also have to exercise caution to minimize the harm that their working environment could cause themselves. Doctors, nurses, and the like could all have to contend with:
Besides illuminating the selflessness and bravery of essential workers, the COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated the necessity for healthcare workers to work in sanitary, clean working environments. If you suffer injuries in the healthcare industry for any reason, you may need to consult with a Huntsville workers’ compensation attorney if your hospital fails to provide the income protection you deserve.
We would like to assume that our products are being manufactured on assembly lines running as smoothly, efficiently, and safely as possible. Most factory workers would probably prefer to clock into a smooth, safe work environment on every workday.
Like construction, the CDC attributes the manufacturing industry to roughly 20% of all private industry illnesses and injuries. Although conditions have improved since the Industrial Revolution, and more and more of the factory process is becoming automated, factory workers can still face injury and grievous bodily harm from:
Huntsville factory workers, or any worker on this list, should urgently claim worker’s compensation to keep themselves afloat while they can’t work. But if they run into any roadblocks that prevent them from doing so, they should consider contacting an experienced Huntsville workers’ compensation attorney.
Our Alabama firm offers a full range of legal services related to personal injury practice areas. If you’re curious about how we can help resolve your personal injury case, then you should contact us today to learn more and submit a request for your initial consultation.
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