Many Georgia employees could be at risk for a serious workplace injury. Depending on the industries they work in, the type of incident may vary. However, there are certain injuries that are especially common across the country. According to the insurance company Liberty Mutual, 10 key causes of serious injuries on the job have been identified. These are the causes most often linked to long-term disability.
According to the 2019 study, the most common cause of workplace injury is overexertion. Cited in over 23 percent of on-the-job incidents, overexertion costs employers approximately $13.11 billion each year due to lost productivity and workers’ compensation payments. This may seem to be vague, but overexertion refers to a range of injuries caused by excessive lifting, pushing, pulling, or other strenuous movement. Falls on the same level were the second most common cause of serious workplace injuries, while falls to a lower level came in fourth place. The third most common cause was being struck by an object or equipment, and other factors involving equipment also were significant.
Falls were a particularly significant factor in construction, with falling to a lower level being the most common cause of serious injury. On the other hand, falls were also significant for professional services workers, although they were more likely to fall on level ground.
Workplace injuries can lead to an inability to return to the job. These problems can be exacerbated when they were caused by an unsafe environment. A workers’ compensation lawyer could help injured workers seek the benefits that they deserve.
