The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations has released a report called, "Death on the Job, The Toll of Neglect, 2018." Among its findings is a rise in workplace fatalities from 4,836 in 2015 to 5,190 in 2016. This comes to 150 employees dying every day due to hazardous working conditions. The report also estimates that there were between 50,000 and 60,000 deaths in Georgia and across the U.S. due to occupational diseases.
Injury risks associated with working on or near scaffolding
When you earn your living working at Georgia construction sites, chances are, you have a solid understanding of the injury risks you face in your line of work, and you probably do your best to mitigate them. Working in construction is inherently dangerous, and you and others in your industry typically face a higher risk of an on-the-job injury than those in numerous other fields.
Construction deaths down, but more needs to be done
Construction workers in Georgia face many risks while they are on the job, and they have a greater risk of suffering serious injuries or fatalities in workplace accidents. A recent report revealed that construction workplace fatalities decreased by 2 percent in 2017. However, the number of workers who were killed in 2017 was still higher than the numbers in 2013 and 2014.
OSHA and MSHA struggle with underreporting of injuries
Georgia residents with questions about workers' compensation should be aware that the underreporting of injuries is an obstacle faced by both OSHA and MSHA. When employers are not reporting injuries, employees are losing opportunities for compensation.
OSHA uses holidays to highlight safety rights of temp workers
The holiday shopping season brings additional business to the retail and warehouse sectors in Georgia. Employers tend to hire temporary workers to manage heavy seasonal workloads, and a news release from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration emphasized that these interim employees have the same rights to a safe workplace as permanent workers.
