Slip and fall accidents are one of the most common work injuries in the United States. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), there were nearly 600 deaths and over 47,000 serious injuries from falls in the workplace in 2013.
While almost every job has some potential falling hazard, there are some careers that can put their workers at major risk a falling accident that could land them in the hospital and cost thousands of dollars in medical bills. Even if falls are entirely preventable, it is important for Pennsylvania residents to be aware of what jobs have a high amount of fall obstacles so they can take precaution or prepare themselves if a loved one does get in an accident.
Construction workers
Unsurprisingly, construction workers often have the highest death and injury count when it comes to slip and falls. They work in higher areas, operate dangerous equipment, and walk on narrow pathways with awkward angles. Many of the workers also have to deal with outside hazards such as wind or rain that could throw off their balance.
Unfortunately, this field provides little room for error, as shown last November when a young construction worker in Old City, Philadelphia fell four stories to his death on the job. While there has been an increase in safety precautions and training in the last decade, the industry still has a long way to go to prevent the thousands of injuries that occur on these sites.
Restaurant employees
Most restaurants avoid carpet on their floor so that the constant spilt food does not further deteriorate the floor. Kitchens have grounds that the cooks and waiters can easily slip on while preparing or carrying food. It doesn’t help that the cooks often spill the liquids they are working with on the floor and do not have the time to clean it up until the shift is over.
Because of this, more Pennsylvania restaurants are installing non- slip mats to make the floors in the main areas of the kitchen walkable. While it can significantly reduce the risk of a slip and fall accident, it cannot completely eliminate it. The mats themselves can still slip if not installed properly and not all of the kitchen’s ground tends to be covered up.
Warehouse workers
The NSC study shows that there were nearly 22,000 injuries and 35 deaths in the transportation and warehouse industry. Wet floor signs need to come out whenever there is an oil spill, a rain storm or a lack of safety mats.
In the warehouse industry, trips tend to happen when too many boxes obstruct the vision, there is poor lighting in the area or the floor does not have proper maintenance. The environment should be devoid of tripping hazards such as cords, clutter or protruding nails from the ground. Pennsylvania warehouses need to maintain proper inspection of the areas and remove any potential obstacles while also training their employees to not be hasty during their jobs, as the fast work pace can also lead to workers falling down after a mistake.
Many slip and fall accidents are entirely preventable and are due to the employers not keeping a close eye on the area or the employees. If you or a loved one suffer from a slip and fall accident and are in dire need of compensation, you should seek legal assistance to help you financially recover.