There are about 1.6 million industrial mishaps that occur in the US which result to disability and, in some cases, death. These types of accidents are unique in a way since it directly impacts the job of the wage earner and the employer is usually held liable for such accidents.
The most commonly recorded accidents in the workplace include slips, lifting accidents, getting hit by objects, high falls, explosions and fires, and accidents resulting from mishandling and malfunction of industrial tools and machines.
As a means to avoid liability suits and to provide an injured employee a temporary means of income until they can come back to work, state laws require employers to provide their employees compensation insurance. This type of workers’ insurance provides monetary compensation to injured workers if they waive their right to sue their employer for damages.
Although workers have waived their right to sue the company, they can still sue a third party for personal injuries if that party is responsible for the accident. A third party can include a contractor, a subcontractor, a tool or machine manufacturer or any other party besides the employer.
To prevent industrial accidents, certain measures should be taken by employers to ensure safety in the workplace. They need to conduct a risk assessment to pinpoint the possible hazards and hot spots that can cause an accident in the work area.
Most of the common accident hot spots in the workplace are exposed or faulty electrical wirings, slippery walking surfaces, poorly maintained equipment, areas with temperature extremes, toxic and explosive materials, fire hazards, highly-elevated working areas, and lack of medical and safety equipment.
Many of the accidents in the workplace can be minimised or totally eliminated by identifying the possible dangers and eliminating or, in the very least, decreasing its risk of occurring.
- Keep walking surfaces free from clutter and moisture
- Constant maintenance of industrial tools and machines
- Keep explosive and toxic materials in secure locations
- Provide workers with protective safety gears
- Equip workers in high places with safety gears and harnesses
- Ensure workers performing heavy manual labor are in top health condition
- Provide adequate training for workers doing high-risk work
- Provide medical facilities and first aid training to workers
However, all the precautions in the world will not prevent a single act of carelessness by another person in causing an industrial accident. If this is the case in your company, then seek professional advice from an industrial accident attorney to help you avoid being a victim.