Just a normal day on the job
- October 17, 2018
- Posted by: thinkjcw
- Category: Safety Articles
In America, on average 15 people a day die from workplace accidents. That adds up to
roughly 5,475 fatalities a year from workplace accidents. We lost 57,000 American
soldiers in Vietnam between the years of 1960 and 1973. In that same time frame 13
years we lost 71,175amercian workers. In that same time period we lost 653,000 lives in
vehicle accidents. Another senseless loss of life comes in the form of hard working
people trying to earn a living and being killed in the process. Of significant concern is
that many of these workplace fatalities can be prevented.
According to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries issued by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the daily deaths, on average, occur as follows:
3 workers killed in vehicle accidents
2 workers die from falls from elevations (scaffolds/ladders)
1 worker killed by a falling object (tree/brick/hammer)
1 worker killed in a construction zone
1 worker killed in a air/water or rail accident
1 worker killed by being caught in a machine
3 workers shot to death (such as cashiers)
1 workers killed by fire or explosion
1 worker killed by an off road vehicle (tractor or forklift)
1 worker electrocuted
This represents 15 people who won’t be going home to their families.
This represents unnecessary loss of life. This represents a lack of leadership in
workplace hazard analysis. OSHA has standards to prevent almost every one of the
fatalities mentioned. There is no such thing as a normal day!