Los Angeles Workers' Compensation Law Blog

Earning a living is not an easy task for many workers in California and across the country. They may work long and difficult hours in jobs they are not entirely happy with, and many work in dangerous conditions. In fact, numerous workers face risks of workplace injuries every day they are on the job.

When it comes to common fatal accidents, transportation incidents account for the majority in various industries. Lawn service, landscaping, construction, farming and agricultural work, trucking, recyclable materials collecting, pilots and flight engineers, and fishing work all see transportation incidents as the most common cause of fatal accidents on the job. Unfortunately, an average of 20 to 77 workers out of 100,000 full-time workers suffer fatal injuries on the job in these industries.

These days, many California residents and companies are adamant about going green. In fact, there is an entire sector known as green construction that focuses on using environmentally-friendly building materials and building practices. While these steps can go along way in reducing harm to the environment, there is still a chance that a construction injury can take place on these sites.

Green construction can help workers in certain ways. For example, construction workers are less likely to face hazardous materials while on construction sites or face exposure to pollutants. Additionally, more training is commonly provided for green construction projects because the methods used on these projects are not necessarily common knowledge. As a result, workers receive new training that can help them stay safe on the job rather than relying on past training.

Even when workers use necessary equipment in an appropriate manner, an accident involving that equipment can still take place. The equipment itself may not malfunction, but another element could contribute to an accident that leads to workplace injuries. When workers must use heavy machinery, it is important to be aware of all surroundings.

California readers may be interested in a work-related accident that took place in another state. According to reports, a worker was using an excavator on the fifth floor of a parking garage when the accident occurred. Apparently, a metal plate under the excavator fell through, resulting in the excavator and the worker falling through two floors of the garage. It was noted that there were vehicles inside the parking garage at the time of the incident, and some sustained damage from debris.

No one wants to end up unable to work or perform other daily activities because of an injury. Unfortunately, workplace injuries can happen at any time, and California workers could end up having to take time off of work and avoiding other activities as they recover. Of course, individuals can try their best to avoid suffering injuries on the job.

One way to avoid suffering injuries at work is to recognize signs the body is giving that it could be at risk of suffering an injury. For instance, workers who are able to recognize signs of fatigue and who do not ignore pain may be able to address those issues before more serious problems arise. Employers who train their employees to recognize injury warning signs could help their workers avoid harm.