August 22, 2012
Injuries and fatalities in the workplace are a considerable representation part of the burden to companies and affect the workforce during their most productive times in their lives. There are over 1000 worker deaths globally due to work related incidents. The non fatal accidents and injuries that result are also a problem. There have been significant public health contributions to help alleviate workplace injuries and fatalities.
The public health approach to preventing workplace deaths and accidents emphasizes an approach to prevention and control moving beyond warehouse safety videos and other educational methods. Identifying and targeting workers within higher risk jobs and analyzing data for the numbers of accidents and hazards helps companies form occupation specific prevention methods. If companies invest in surveillance methods, risk identification and implement programs they can then develop intervention and control protocols to lessen the dangers and target the most dangerous areas within their operations.
The infographic provides fatality data to help show how prevention measures have made a difference as well as point out which occupations and places still need to develop areas of safety.
• The data for all fifty states illustrates the high numbers across the United States of fatal work injuries with Texas and California having the highest number. • Of the 39% of transportation injuries that are fatal, 21% happen on the highway and transportation incidents are 49% likely to occur multiple times. • Fires and other explosive dangers account for 4% of deaths due to occupation. • Males have a significantly higher rate of fatal work injuries than women.
When looking at all of the fatal incident data it is clear to see that plenty of companies need to continue to adopt plans of prevention and safety and offer education and materials handling safety as well as forklift training. Organizations also need to maintain their equipment to make sure their workers are protected.
