Workers’ compensation laws cover some 135 million employees. Such laws are responsible for a collective payout of more than $7 trillion each year, making workers' comp one of the largest government-mandated programs in the country. The following sections outline which industries generate the most workers’ compensation claims in Ohio.[1]
Healthcare
People think of healthcare workers as individuals who save lives, but such individuals also put their own lives on the line. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration reports that the private healthcare industry records more instances of work-related illness and injury than any other private sector in America. About 580,000 workers’ comp cases are filed annually in healthcare, 30% for musculoskeletal injuries or ailments.[2]
How might healthcare workers find themselves in a position where they need to file a workers’ comp claim? Here are some examples:
Slips, falls
Lab-related hazards
Manual lifting injuries
Exposure to radioactivity
Biological hazards and toxicity
Blood-borne pathogens and illnesses
Exposure to chemicals, waste, drugs, or toxic gas
Infectious diseases transmitted by patients or other workers
People who work in healthcare and become injured or sick because of work should file for workers' comp.
Transportation and Warehouse Employment
As one might imagine, jobs involving moving large objects around or operating heavy machinery and vehicles could put one at risk for injury. That’s why the transportation and warehouse sector is in second place after healthcare as the industry that produces the highest rate of workers’ comp claims each year.
Transportation and warehousing employ about 5.5 million workers, and these individuals are at risk for injury daily. Common causes of injury include:
Traffic accidents with other automobiles
Physical overexertion from lifting objects that are too heavy
Slips, falls, and other accidents caused by irregular work surfaces
Airborne objects that impact workers and cause serious injury or death
Heavy, moving equipment that causes musculoskeletal harm to workers
Toxic chemical exposure, corrosive spills or burns, noxious fumes, or poison
Today, at least 5.1 cases of injury and illness are reported each year for every 100 workers in this field.[3]
Forestry, Farming, Fishing, and Professional Hunting
Anyone who steps outdoors and engages with the natural world puts themselves at risk for injury, whether they do so for recreation, work, or both. Logging, farming, fishing, hunting, working in the forest, and performing conservation work are all industries that involve exposure to the environment and the risks that come with it.
Some examples of common injuries related to extensive work outdoors include:
Excessive cold
Excessive heat
Extreme noise exposure
Exposure to inclement weather
Respiratory hazards due to heavy machinery
Impact and pressure hazards due to heavy machinery
Exposure to chemical hazards and toxic or corrosive liquids
Unsanitary working conditions due to poorly regulated working environments
Extreme risk for bodily harm due to dangerous equipment, machines, silos, grain bins, etc.
The industries in this category report about 5.3 injuries or illnesses each year for every 100 workers, making it a leading sector for workers’ comp claims.[4]
Manufacturing Jobs
Manufacturing covers a wide range of jobs, and all such jobs carry a higher-than-average risk for workers. Throughout the manufacturing process, workers may have to handle dangerous chemicals, use high currents of electricity, work around large machines and assembly lines, and work in complex factories with lots of moving parts. Because of that, workers are at risk for slips and falls, and they might face exposure to dangerous chemicals, biological hazards, electrical currents, fire, or suffocation. Depending on the product being manufactured, the weight of objects handled can also be an issue, leading to back injuries and other musculoskeletal trauma from heavy lifting or accidental impacts and collisions.
From manufacturing clothing to making children’s toys, building tools, assembling cars, mixing solvents for industrial cleaning supplies, or doing something as seemingly harmless as assembling parts on an assembly line, manufacturing is complex and can sometimes be chaotic, hence the risk.
The data shows that there are 3.4 annual cases of work-related injury per 100 workers in the manufacturing field. Given the high risks of injury but the minimal ability to predict risk factors or instances of injury, people who work in this field should make sure their employer offers a robust workers' compensation package.[5]
Recreation, the Arts, and Entertainment
Recreation, arts, and entertainment might be the last field where anyone would expect serious injuries and illnesses to occur. But especially for those working behind the scenes to produce entertainment, this field can be quite dangerous to one's health and safety.
Workers who build sets for film or theatre, fitness trainers who work with heavy weights, amusement park attendants operating heavy machines, the list goes on. Workers in these sectors have very active jobs that have injury risks. That’s why this field reports 5.4-per-100 work-related injuries or illnesses each year.[6]
No Matter Your Industry, Make Sure You Seek Legal Representation When Injured on the Job
For every type of job performed in America, there are just as many, if not more, ways that one might become injured or ill as a result of working at that job. Different sectors may have different risk factors, but all workers injured on the job are entitled to benefits. Further, injured workers should seek free legal advice before filing a claim to get the best benefits package possible. Contact NRS Injury Law today at 855.977.6670 for a free consultation.
Sources Cited:
[1] SSA. “Workers’ Compensation Program Description and Legislative History.” Social Security Administration, 2017. ssa.gov
[2] OSHA. “Healthcare.” Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2022. osha.gov
[3] BLS. “Warehousing and Storage.” Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 2022. bls.gov
[4] BLS. “Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting.” Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 2022. bls.gov
[5] BLS. “Manufacturing,” Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 2022. bls.gov
[6] BLS. “Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries.” Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 2022. bls.gov
