Strong Justice For Serious Disease

What are the ‘Fatal Four’ in workplace deaths?

On Behalf of | Nov 25, 2015 | Work-Related Deaths

Manual workers in Pennsylvania today have access to unprecedented technology and worker tools on the job. So why are so many workplace deaths still occurring? One industry in particular has a track record of a high fatality rate. Construction workers are subject to a relatively dangerous job that can leave them injured or even killed. These injuries are made all the more serious when they are due to employer negligence.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has the job of reporting and studying workplace deaths and injuries on a national level. It has categorized construction worker deaths in the private sector. Construction worker deaths can be due to what OSHA has coined the “Fatal Four,” and these accidents accounted for 20 percent of all worker deaths in 2014. They include falls, electrocutions, struck by object and caught in-between accidents.

These accidents can sometimes be attributed to the employer of the fatally injured employee. There are many ways an employer can fail to properly ensure employee health and safety. For example, in fatal falls the employer could fail to give proper safety equipment or instruction to their employees. This could result in a scaffolding fall that could have easily been prevented.

While not all fatal accidents are the result of employer negligence, it is a possibility that should be considered. Fatal accidents are often sudden and unexpected by the loved one’s family. This can leave the family in a state of shock and financial disarray for a multitude of reasons. This is where responsibility can play a big factor in potential financial reparations.

Source: osha.gov, “Commonly Used Statistics,” Accessed Nov. 22, 2015

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