Workplace Injuries & Deaths Still Common in 2023
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there have been close to 5,200 workplace fatalities in 2022, reflecting an almost nine percent increase from 2020. In 2021, one U.S. worker died every 101 minutes from a workplace injury.
Children Dying on the Job
Sadly, these dire statistics include children, as there are a number of industries that have always been exempted from child labor laws, where children have continued to work, such as in agriculture. In addition, there has been a push in a number of states to further loosen these laws and allow children to work in more industries, such as in the restaurant and bar industry. Meanwhile, minors are dying at work: Killed working in slaughterhouses, saw mills, landfills, and more.
Penalties Not High Enough to Inspire Change
Yet the lack of proper protections also affects adult workers: It is shocking how many incidents result in workplace injury or death; including for those workers who are “following the rules.”
Still, the penalties aren’t arguably high enough to inspire employers to ensure that they are providing a safe work environment for their workers: The median penalty a company faces when a worker dies on the job is a little over $12,000 under the federal law and approximately $7,000 under state law. Take Amazon, for example: The company was cited by the Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration (OSHA) this year for failing to keep workers safe after multiple workers died in the company’s facilities, and has racked up approximately $150,000 in OSHA fines, just since January of this year. Comparatively, the company reportedly made more than $500 billion in revenue in 2022 alone.
Certain Workers Face Higher Risks
This past summer, record heat waves claimed the lives of many who work outdoors due to heat-related illnesses; where almost 350 workers die each day due to these types of hazardous working conditions, especially as the climate crisis intensifies. These workers work in a variety of industries, such as agriculture, construction, and transportation.
These statistics also have racial justice aspects to them, as Black and Latino workers continue to die at a higher rate than other ethnic groups.
If You’ve Been Hurt, Contact Our Las Vegas Work Injury Recovery Attorneys
Employers must ensure a safe working environment for their employees. If you or a loved one has been injured on the job, it is critical that you speak with a personal work injury attorney right away in order to preserve your rights, especially if you have significant medical costs as a result. Cameron Law is here to help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and find out more.
Source:
teenvogue.com/story/workplace-injury-death-us
