If you were asked to name the most dangerous workplaces, what comes to mind? Do you think of oil rigs, nuclear power plants, and manufacturing facilities? We can think of danger in a couple of different ways. One is the risk of serious injury and another is the frequency of injuries. You may be surprised to learn which industries are the most hazardous to work in. Is your workplace one of them?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released its annual report of Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries and Illnesses for 2020. That report looks a bit different from years past because of the pandemic. For example, the rate of days away from work for registered nurses increased by 290.8 percent over 2019. Private industries saw an increase in the median number of days across the board from 9 to 12.
Some statistics in the report reflect trends that continued through to 2020 from 2018. As we look at the figures, it’s easy to see that some industries are historically more prone to accidental injury. It’s important to remember that the Bureau only has data from employer reports. In reality, many injuries occur that go unreported for one reason or another. These numbers also exclude fatal injuries and illnesses affecting the country’s labor force.
Retail
Working in a retail shop might not top your list of most dangerous occupations, but it’s a surprisingly significant industry when it comes to accidents. To give some perspective, 2020 saw roughly 174,000 injuries and illnesses in the construction sector. Compare that to 341,000 in the retail industry. Even in 2018, there were 26,760 reports of injuries in retail salespeople alone, just a subset of the entire industry.
So what can happen in retail that makes the rate of worker injury so high? At the back of the store, receiving departments are prone to injury from box cutters, lifting heavy items, and falling objects. Behind the cashier’s desk, many employees suffer from repetitive stress injury and lower-body muscle fatigue. On the sales floor, tripping, slipping, and items falling from overhead shelving are all common dangers.
Food Service
Another risky business is food service, particularly in food prep areas. In the Bureau’s report, accommodation and food service worker injuries and illnesses totaled 191,000 in 2020. That was in a year where most restaurants were closed. Servers and hosts are prone to some of the same conditions as retail salespeople. If required to wear dress shoes, standing for long periods can cause foot injuries, back pain, and leg strain. Working at a register is often a source of repetitive motion injury.
At the back of the house, cooks and chefs from the fanciest restaurants to the cheapest fast food hotspots are exposed to multiple hazards. Burns from oil and fire, slips and falls, knife cuts, and puncture wounds are likely even in the safest kitchens. Having safety measures in place in these areas is imperative.
Nursing
We think of clinics and hospitals as places to go when we have an injury, not a place where injuries happen. But, nurses and nursing assistants are at risk too. In 2020, there were over 806,000 reported reports of non-fatal illnesses and injuries of healthcare and social assistance professionals. In 2018, there were 33,430 reports of just nursing assistants alone becoming sick or injured.
Cuts from scalpels and razors and accidental sticks with used needles can be life threatening hazards. Lifting patients from a wheelchair or bed can lead to acute back or joint injuries as well as repetitive strain. Particularly in 2020, healthcare workers and social assistance workers had to work long hours and multiple shifts in a row. As if illnesses and effort related injuries weren’t enough to contend with, nurses and nursing assistants are often confronted with workplace violence. Patients may become disoriented and combative for a number of reasons. Lashing out due to the death of a loved one or perceived malpractice is another source of workplace violence. A former employee may act out in similar ways putting individuals in the practice at risk. They can become agitated and dangerous.
Accident Prevention and Recovery
Prevention is always the best medicine. It’s worth your time to review your employees’ daily tasks and their environment regularly. Take care of any issues right away, and don’t let them drop off of the to-do list. Staff that regularly perform repetitive motion-related tasks should be cycled out to other duties frequently. Make sure standing areas have adequate flooring such as ani-fatigue/anti-slip standing mats or provide options to sit or stand.
Repetitive motion injuries and lower body muscle fatigue can sometimes be as dangerous as a fall or impact wound. They may even be more of a danger simply because they come on slowly and quietly. Do take employee complaints of discomfort seriously and take time to assess the situation with a critical eye.
At Midtown, we offer much more than injury care. We’ll help you put together a comprehensive workplace safety plan to ensure your employees don’t get hurt in the first place. We can also set up and perform random drug and alcohol screening to help mitigate worksite risks before something happens. What you invest now in preventative safety can save you the significant costs of loss of productivity, injury claims, and litigation down the road.
When injuries do happen, we’re here to help with accurate diagnoses, complete recovery plans, consistent communication, and records management. The longer you wait to handle a claim, the more you have to lose. We’ll help you move the process along as quickly and efficiently as possible and help ensure it won’t happen again.
To set an appointment with a member of Midtown’s medical staff, call our office at 303-831-9393.
For employers wishing to add Midtown to their list of preferred providers for occupational therapy and work injury recovery, contact us at 303-468-9242.
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