If you have suffered a workplace injury, you’re not alone. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), workplace accidents took 5,190 worker lives in 2016. This is an average of 100 deaths per week, or more than 14 deaths per day.
Thousands of others suffered serious and debilitating injuries. In California alone, private industry employers reported 466,600 occupational injuries in 2016. Here are a few other worker injuries and workers’ compensation statistics:
In 2016, 376 employees in California passed away from work-related injuries. This was the second-highest worker fatality rate in the United States.
Transportation accidents are the leading cause of worker death in California – a fact that has remained consistent every year since the start of workers’ compensation reporting.
Transportation incidents took 145 worker lives in CA, assaults/acts of violence took 77, falls took 64, contact with objects/equipment 58, exposure to harmful substances took 20, and fires and explosions took nine lives.
Orange County (along with LA County), reported 109 worker deaths in 2016. More employees died on the job in this region in 2016 than any year since 2011.
The majority of deceased workers in California in 2016 were white (43%), followed by Hispanic (39%) Asian (9%), and African American (7%). The youngest worker to die on the job was 22 (Alexis Cedillo-Osorio). The oldest was 66 (Jack Rafael Ruiz).
The vast majority of deceased workers in California in 2016 (93%) identified as male. Women are less likely to suffer fatal injuries at work, but more likely to suffer repetitive motion and musculoskeletal injuries.
Every year, workplace accidents take more lives. Employers, product manufacturers, and third parties continuously put employee lives at risk through acts of negligence, recklessness, or malicious intent to harm. If you currently have a work-related injury, contact Orange County workers’ compensation lawyer. Hiring an attorney can help you successfully navigate the claims process.
