Did you know that an average of one American worker dies on the job every two hours? This sobering statistic is just one of many numbers that describe the picture of workplace deaths in America as compiled by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization’s (AFL-CIO) twenty-fifth annual Death on the Job report.
In addition to the workers who die on the job, other former employees die from illnesses that are related to their former employment, such as black lung disease and silicosis. It is estimated that fifty thousand former employees die from job-related illnesses each year. Unfortunately, in addition to presenting statistics that show numbers that exceed what many of us would think are the numbers of people who die on the job each year, the report also discusses ongoing issues that create continued safety risks to American workers. For example, the fines that state and federal Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHAs) are low enough that they do not deter unlawful conduct by employers. Also, the OSHAs on both the state and federal levels are understaffed – under two thousand inspectors are charged with the monumental task of inspecting approximately eight million workplaces. If you calculate that statistic out, each workplace would have a state inspection once every ninety-seven years and a federal inspection once every one hundred and forty-five years.
Mississippi residents take note – your state is the state with the fourth most workplace fatalities. As far as professions are concerned, oil well and refinery work, construction, logging, farming, and fishing were the occupations with the most fatalities. The statistics show that older workers are more likely to die on the job than younger workers. Causes of death on the job include murder, and murders accounted for nearly twenty percent of female workplace fatalities and eight percent of male workplace fatalities.
The report also detailed the current state of legislation affecting workplace safety. A 2015 two-year budget agreement includes a law that increases federal civil fines and adjusts them for inflation. The agreement also authorizes state and federal OSHAs to raise the maximum penalties by approximately eighty percent, which adjusts them for inflation that occurred since the last time the penalties were calculated in the 1990s. For example, the maximum penalty for a serious violation would increase from $7,000.00 to approximately $12,500.00, and the maximum penalty for a willful or repeat violation will increase from $70,000.00 to $125,000.00.
Barrett Law PLLC: Helping the Families of Workplace Fatality Victims
The Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are dedicated to meeting the needs of families who have lost their loved ones to workplace fatalities. If someone you love was killed at work, seek the assistance of a knowledgeable guide who can help you through the workplace fatality case process. Call the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (800) 707-9577 to schedule your free, initial consultation.