Workplace Injuries: The Cost and Toll

Workplace injuries have been an undeniable fact for generations on end. From the beginning of the great pyramids, to the great wall of China, and to the modern buildings we have today. Including skyscrapers, metro train stations, suspension bridges, highways, and oil refineries. The creation of these massive facilities need the hard work of men and women. Sometimes during these productions people get hurt in the process and in the worst case scenario there is a fatality at the job sites.

Workplace injuries and fatalities come at a massive cost to human life, health, and longevity. This is the main reason the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created during the 1970’s. As employers were mainly concerned about their project, they often took a second hand approach to workplace injuries. This was mostly to save face and continue with their operation without worrying about the people who were injured or who became ill at their jobsites. Often times workers were the one’s who were blamed for their injuries, illnesses, and deaths.

Types of Workplace Injuries

There are many different types of injuries and illnesses someone can get at a jobsite. From silica exposure during cutting, blasting, sawing, drilling, and grinding which would be considered more as an illness due to being exposed to the material for long periods of time. With silica exposure the timeline of noticing its effects could take years to potentially decades for it to be noticed. There are also quick injuries which could happen at the job site such as getting struck by an object, caught in-between two objects, falling from heights, or inhaling toxic gasses in confined spaces.

All of these workplace injuries and illnesses are theoretically preventable with proper understanding and creating an action plan. The goal for every company is to have zero injuries and illnesses through their projects. However, the sad reality is people do get hurt during work. The frequency of workplace injuries has been declining over the years mostly due to OSHA and private companies valuing their employees. At one point in time many of these companies hated the fact that occupational safety existed and cringed at the fact they need to abide by certain standards.

Today, the attitudes toward safety have shifted massively as there is a huge incentive to keep workers healthy and happy. Workplace injuries can potentially cause massive delays to projects, cost the company millions in workers compensation, and the chance of dealing with lawyers who want to sue the company for endangering their workers. Every employee who works for any company has the right to a safe working environment and this is the precipice many standards are based on.

Cost and Toll

Workplace injuries take a massive toll on everyone involved in the incident including the company, organization, workers, and the victim of the incident. When people become injured and ill it impacts every single person in their life. Their loved ones, families, friends, and coworkers all suffer from the pain that is brought onto the person involved. Humans in general have communities of people in their lives who can see the suffering which comes with these types of events.

In a terrible incident where people lose their loved one, it can potentially shatter the entire family. Many husbands are the backbone of their family providing income, love, and being their with their wives or children. Once this person dies the entire family loses their father, husband, or cousin with the known fact that they will never hear them laugh or cry ever again. Illnesses take just as much of a cost to people’s lives as some people suffer with chronic diseases due to their workplace injuries.

People always look at statistics and simply create a judgement based on some numbers on a graph. Which we will get into shortly as well, but these statistics have no real way of showing the detriment of losing the person you love.  Although statistics are great measurements to see trends or changes they don’t tell the full story. Workplace injuries and illnesses cause trauma to the point of no return for the people involved in them. Sometimes there are also difficulties in obtaining workers compensation to such events as companies tend to keep their bottom line in check.

Statistics of Injuries and Illnesses

After the creation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act in 1970 under Nixon’s administration there was a huge change in attitude about people’s safety. From fatal electrical shocks, to falling, to transportation, to cave ins, and to exposure of harmful substances or environments. This tracking helped monitor where the majority of the damages were caused and allowed for awareness to these type of incidences.

In 1972 the incidence rate of nonfatal occupational injuries or illnesses was at an all time high 10-11 injuries or illness per 100 workers. This is a whopping 10% of injuries and illnesses at job sites and workplaces. Imagine a world where every employee was in danger of getting hurt at the job site. This not only creates an attitude of danger for everyone involved, but also harms the overall morale at the jobsite. People tend not to due well in situations where their coworkers are dying or getting injured next to them.

For example, in 2015 the total incidence rate of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses has dropped to 3 per 100 workers. This is a reduction of 7% since 1972 allowing for more able bodied people to continue working and providing services which creates everything around us. From buildings to bridges, highways, and sky scrapers which we all love and enjoy.

Fatalities

Regarding fatalities at workplaces and workplace injuries the rates have been declining since the 1900’s. For example, in 1994 there was one of the highest year in workplace-related fatalities with a total of 6,632 deaths within the past 30 years. Compared to 2009 with a lowered amount of 4,551 work-related fatalities, the total was reduced by over 2000 deaths that year. However, it appears that the rates are increasing again with 2018 bringing a total of 5,250 work related fatalities.

The increase and decrease can be based on many different factors such as total workers. Other factors which need to be understood to see the total is what work is being done more often and which workforces are dealing with an increased number of deaths in the fields. We’ll analyze the data from 2018 to see the percentages of fatalities and what the deaths were a part of.

In 2018 the majority or 39.6% of work related fatalities were in the area of transportation incidents. Transportation incidences can be categorized in numerous ways including aircraft, rail vehicle, pedestrian vehicle, pedestrian struck, water vehicle, roadway motorized vehicle, non-roadway motorized vehicle. It also includes subcategories including hitting objects, animals, and overturns. Violence by persons and animals was the second leading work related fatality with it covering 15.8%.  Then falls, slips, and trips was another 15.1%, contact with objects and equipment at 15%, exposure to harmful substances or environments at 11.8%, and fires and explosions covered 2.2%.

General Workplace Injuries and Illnesses

The important question is what are the ways people can be a part of workplace injuries and why? The reality of this question lies with the fact that construction sites and general industry workplaces have many different ways people can be hurt. It really depends on the job and the nature of the environment people are working in. Certain jobs require heavy machinery which can lead to transportation injuries, struck by injuries, or even caught in-between injuries. Other jobs may have more machinery such as a processing plant where employees limbs can potentially get caught or if the electricity is on there is a potential for a shock, arc-blast, or arc-flash. Here’s a list of a few of those methods:

1. Slips, trips, and falls: These are some of the most common workplace injuries and can occur due to wet or slippery floors, uneven surfaces, cluttered work areas, or inadequate lighting. As it seems not too serious the severity of them can be heartbreaking and lead to canceling of the workflow due to the workplace injury. People can easily get injured due to a slip by fracturing or breaking their bones even on a fall on the same level. If employees or workers fall at a higher level to the lower one it can potentially be a fatal incident depending on how they land.
2. Strains and sprains: Workers may experience muscle strains or sprains from lifting heavy objects, performing repetitive motions, or working in awkward positions. Much of these workplace injuries are generally covered in ergonomics or the practice of reducing awkward movements. Workers may develop chronic pain or other musculoskeletal disorders from performing repetitive or strenuous tasks over a long period of time.
3. Cuts and lacerations: Workers may be injured by sharp objects or equipment, such as knives, saws, or broken glass. In certain cases depending on the machinery the sharp objects or saws may cut workers limbs off from fingers to arms. These can be extremely detrimental as losing a limb can cause a substantial loss of health for the victim of the incident.
4. Burns: Workers may be burned by hot surfaces or liquids, chemical exposure, or fires.
5. Electrical injuries: Workers may be shocked or electrocuted by contact with live wires or faulty electrical equipment. Power lines have a huge potential to cause a fatality as the voltages are extremely high. It’s easy for a worker to hold a large ladder or use a crane which can strike one of these powerlines. Other aspects of electrical hazards include not properly locking and tagging out electricity sources causing an easy method for someone to get a workplace injury. Many can even lead to a fatality depending on the contact time and voltage of the equipment.
6. Respiratory illnesses: Workers may develop respiratory illnesses from exposure to dust, fumes, or other hazardous airborne particles. A few examples include asthma, asbestosis, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease also known as COPD, and Pneumoconiosis. Much of these respiratory disease can occur on construction sites or mining facilities with it causing a complete detriment to a persons health. These workplace injuries and illnesses are often harder to detect as they can take years or decades to fully develop.
7. Hearing loss: Workers in noisy environments may develop hearing loss over time.
8. Stress-related illnesses: Workers may develop stress-related illnesses from working long hours, dealing with difficult customers or coworkers, or experiencing other job-related stressors.
9. Chemical exposure: Workers may be exposed to hazardous chemicals through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact, which can cause a range of health problems, from skin irritation to organ damage.
10. Machinery accidents: Workers may be injured by machinery such as conveyor belts, presses, or heavy equipment if proper safety measures are not in place or if the equipment is faulty. Heavy machinery can easily cause employees to suffer workplace injuries if not properly monitored. As the machines are quite large and are difficult to operate there are many blind spots where an employee can be struck by, caught in-between, or be run over. Some heavy machinery can include bulldozers, dump trucks, cranes, and excavators
11. Vehicle accidents: Workers who operate vehicles such as forklifts, trucks, or construction equipment may be at risk of vehicle accidents, which can cause serious workplace injuries or fatalities. As its one of the most common fatality proper awareness should be raised to attempt to lower the incidences.
12. Violence: Workers may be at risk of workplace violence from customers, clients, or coworkers, which can result in physical or emotional trauma.
13. Repetitive motion injuries: Workers who perform the same motion repeatedly, such as typing or assembling products, may be at risk of repetitive motion injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
14. Radiation exposure: Workers in certain industries such as healthcare or nuclear power may be exposed to ionizing radiation, which can cause cancer or other health problems. The different types of ionizing radiation can include alpha, beta, or gamma. Alpha and Beta are more particle based radiation which can be avoided or reduced. The major factor of these two types is touching or consuming irradiated particles through clothing, skin, or consuming items which are contaminated. Gamma radiation can potentially be more dangerous as it goes through many different substances and surfaces. As gamma radiation enters your body it slices through your atoms as if you’re being shot with an electron sized bullet.
15. Heat-related illnesses: Workers who work in hot environments, such as foundries or construction sites, may be at risk of heat stroke or other heat-related illnesses. The methods of which to reduce these type of incidents includes proper hydration, sleep, shift changes, and general awareness of the issue. Certain states are more likely to suffer from these type of heat strokes or heat exhaustion such as California where it may reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
16. Cold-related illnesses: Workers who work in cold environments, such as refrigerated warehouses or outdoor jobs during winter, may be at risk of hypothermia or frostbite.

Types of Workplaces

It’s crucial to note that the type of environment and the job is substantial in understanding where people get workplace injuries or illnesses. If there’s a lot of civil work then silicosis could be a potential harm to the employees as concrete is used fairly frequently. Manufacturing plants could have a higher chance of poor machine guards or faulty equipment which can cause workplace injuries or fatalities. Noise is also a factor in considering the environment as indoor locations could generate higher concentrations as noise can bounce around the facility.

Workplace injuries can easily be prevented by job hazard analysis and task hazard analysis identifying the possible hazards with the work which is involved. Cranes and excavators often use hydraulic fluid to operate the heavy equipment and a simple fault or leak can contribute to failing equipment. Nobody wants to be around a crane when one of its balancing legs gives out due to a hydraulic leak.

Mining operations can also change the type of workplace injuries as workers are often exposed to coal dust, fumes, asbestos, and silica. Other aspects of mining can include cave ins, poor lighting, ventilation, and hazardous gases which are underground. Gases which are usually less dangerous in outdoor environments can cause significant damage or potentially kill employees. For example, methane, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and radon can cause workplace injuries or illnesses throughout the operation. Proper equipment can be used to ventilate the underground areas to try and prevent the accumulation of these toxic gasses.

Working on high rise buildings also come with their own risks with many of the others mentioned going out the door. Falling and having proper PPE or personal protective equipment is fundamental in working at heights. Employees need to properly set up scaffolding to endure the workload and monitor the weight on such temporary structures. Many times falling objects can also be associated with heights and a hardhat can potentially help minimize the risk of being struck by a falling object.

As we can see from above the environment and type of work is extremely important to know the hazards associated with the job. Whether its falling, heavy machinery, dusts, fumes, hydraulics, and even simple ones like poor lighting, ventilation, and slipping. Understanding every risk can create an action plan known as the IIPP or the illness injury prevention plan which most companies operate by. Although the document isn’t often used in everyday operations it highlights the importance of the jobs and eliminating workplace injuries.

Prevention of Workplace Injuries

It’s a known fact in the industry of construction that workplace injuries are preventable. Every incident is considered important even if nothing really happened. Near misses or incidents that barely missed workplace injuries are treated at the highest regard. The reason for this is that if the potential existed there is an opportunity for it to happen again without favorable odds. Finding out and analyzing the jobsite is the main method to avoid workplace injuries.

Training is a huge part of the process with new hire training, quarterly training, yearly training, and so on. As more workers understand the hazards they can potentially stop an incident from happening in the first place. Stop work authority is also great at combating workplace injuries as all employees have the ability to stop the work to assess risks. For example, an employee can notice deteriorated ropes, chains, or cables which have been rigged onto a load during a crane operation. Noticing the deterioration and switching out the cables could prevent a crane load from breaking or tearing which may have landed on an unsuspecting worker.

Generally there are five different ways of noticing hazards and removing them from operation. It’s known as the hierarchy of controls and is used at every single facility or operation.

1. Elimination: The most important method of reducing risk is elimination. Eliminating a chemical or method from the job can reduce workplace injuries as there is no chance of it occurring.
2. Substitution: Replacing the hazard with another less dangerous one is key. During substitution the importance is knowing what the substitute method is and what the new risks can be. For example, instead of using gasoline in underground facilities which have machinery, using diesel instead as it has less of a chance to explode.
3. Engineering: A great way at reducing workplace injuries as machine guards, ventilation, and barriers can prevent an employee from coming into contact with the danger.
4. Administrative controls: can include worker rotation, training, adjusting speeds, limiting work areas, and creating rest breaks. With all of these controls the main goal is to reduce workplace injuries, but with the original hazards still existing. People still need to drive cars, heavy equipment, and forklifts to get the job done. These all present the same hazards as normal, but adequate training, awareness, and prevention could reduce the overall incidence rate. Buddy systems are another method of reducing workplace injuries through administrative controls as if something does happen to the one employee the other one could get out of the situation and call for help.
5. Personal protective equipment or PPE: is at the bottom of the totem pole or triangle as the hazard still exists. A hardhat, safety glasses, earbuds, safety vest, and work boots do reduce the chances of workplace injuries. However, personal protective equipment must be properly used for it to be truly effective. Perfect examples include respirators and employees properly being fitted to the respirator they are using. If someone ultimately has to be in contact with a hazardous gas or environment a respirator could allow them to still do the job safely. The issue lies with the idea that personal protective equipment should not be used as the main method to reduce workplace injuries or illnesses. Other measures should be used with PPE to have a true change in safety.

The last two on the list are administrative controls and personal protective equipment or PPE. These are less favorable as eliminating, substituting, and engineering the hazard out of the equation creates better odds at reducing workplace injuries. The last two allow for the hazards to exist, but create controls to potentially minimize the hazards.

Workers Compensation

Workers’ compensation, also known as workman’s comp or workers’ comp, is a system of insurance that provides medical and wage replacement benefits to employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses. The purpose of workers’ compensation is to protect both employers and employees by ensuring that injured workers receive appropriate medical care and financial support while preventing costly lawsuits against employers.

While workers’ compensation systems vary from country to country, they generally operate under similar principles. When an employee is injured on the job or develops a work-related illness, they can file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. If the claim is approved, the injured worker typically receives medical treatment paid for by the insurance provider and may also receive wage replacement benefits if they are unable to work temporarily or permanently due to the injury.

However, workers’ compensation systems are not without their issues. Some common problems reported by individuals regarding workers’ comp include:

1. Denial of Claims: Insurance providers may deny workers’ compensation claims, leading to disputes and delays in receiving benefits. Reasons for denial can vary, such as lack of evidence or disputes over whether the injury or illness is work-related.
2. Delays in Benefit Payments: Even when a claim is approved, there may be delays in receiving benefit payments. These delays can cause financial strain for injured workers who depend on the benefits for medical expenses and living expenses.
3. Insufficient Benefits: Some individuals report receiving inadequate benefits, either due to lower-than-expected wage replacement or limitations on the duration of benefits. This can be particularly challenging for individuals with severe or long-term injuries.
4. Medical Treatment Disputes: Disagreements may arise between injured workers and insurance providers over the necessity, extent, or duration of medical treatment. These disputes can result in delays or denial of certain treatments.
5. Return-to-Work Issues: There can be challenges in facilitating a smooth return to work for injured employees. Issues may include employers not providing suitable accommodations or appropriate job placement for workers with limitations.
6. Complex Administrative Processes: The workers’ compensation system can involve complex paperwork, legal procedures, and administrative hurdles that can be overwhelming for injured workers, especially if they lack knowledge or resources to navigate the system effectively.
7. Potential for Fraud: Like any insurance system, workers’ compensation is susceptible to fraudulent claims from either employees or employers. Fraudulent activities can undermine the integrity of the system and lead to increased scrutiny for legitimate claims.

Workers’ compensation laws and regulations vary across jurisdictions, so the specific issues faced by individuals can differ. Seeking legal advice or assistance from professionals familiar with local workers’ compensation laws can often be helpful when dealing with complex situations or disputes.

Conclusion

In theory every jobsite should do their best to have zero incidences of workplace injuries, illnesses, or fatalities. In many circumstances this can be achieved through proper monitoring, identification of hazards, training, toolbox talks, job hazard analyses, task hazard analyses, elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment. Having a goal of zero workplace injuries creates an atmosphere in the specific job sites that employee health is a key priority.

As workplace injuries take a major toll and cost on human health and happiness its important for every workforce to consider ensuring people’s safety. High rates of injuries, illnesses, and deaths can potentially come with fines, decreased productivity, lower workforce morale, reporting requirements, and workers compensation. However, the fact that a human life and everyone in their life could be altered permanently is more than enough reason to treat this issue seriously. As workplace injuries and fatalities have had a significant decrease since the early 1900’s the importance should always be optimized fully.