It is important for workers in Ohio and across the United States to have a statistical baseline of how common a fatal workplace accident is. This can help them to understand how and why these accidents happen, as well as provide information as to how they can be prevented. Recently, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released preliminary statistics on fatal workplace accidents for 2014.
In 2014, there were 184 fatal work incidents in Ohio. That is an increase of 35 for the year. The high in the state was 222 in 1999. The low was 137 in 2009. Across the United States, there were nearly 4,700 fatal work incidents. That is an increase of nearly 100 from 2013. The full data will be released in the early part of 2016.
Of the accidents that happened in 2014, 62 involved transportation, 35 were due to equipment and object contact, and 34 happened because of trips, slips and falls. These three factors made up more than 70 percent of all wrongful death incidents in Ohio.
The most common transportation accidents that led to death involved motorized land vehicles, which led to 33 fatalities. That made 18 percent of the total deaths. Twenty deaths occurred because of victims being struck by equipment or an object. In addition, 23 of the slips, trips and falls occurred due to falls from a higher level to a lower level. There were 38 fatalities in the construction industry. That is precisely double the 19 that happened in 2013. Of these fatalities, 13 were slips, trips and falls. Next came 29 deaths involving hunting, fishing, forestry and agriculture, followed by 23 deaths in warehouse accidents. Furthermore, 46 people died in transportation and material moving. Thirty-six fatalities involved people operating motor vehicles, and material movers had seven deaths.
Of all the fatalities, 91 percent were men. Thirty-three percent of these were in transportation accidents. Moreover, 109 fatalities were in the 25 to 54 age range. Seventy-one percent of those who died were paid salaries and wages. The rest were self-employed. The statistics for wrongful death incidents are key when trying to determine what industries are the riskiest. While it is important to understand these numbers, those who have endured the loss of a loved one also need to protect themselves with help from an attorney experienced in pursuing compensation after a fatal accident.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Fatal Work Injuries in Ohio -- 2014," accessed on Dec. 28, 2015
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