Interesting demographic changes have resulted in fewer workplace injuries for older workers. Here in Mississippi, while workplace injuries continue to occur, they are happening less frequently with workers over the age of 55. In the blog post, I will explore why this is the case, what it means for our local workforce, and what you should do if you experience a workplace injury.
If you or a loved one was injured due to a workplace accident or injury, you will need to have experienced personal injury counsel help you attain your fair share of compensation for your injury and recovery. Barrett Law has the experience to help you—contact us now at (800) 707-9577.
Fewer Men in the Workforce, Fewer Industrial and Construction Jobs, and Automation Means Fewer Injuries
Our economy is changing quickly. Here in Mississippi, a variety of factors are converging that significantly affect the number of older people injured in the workplace each year. First, there are fewer workers over 55 in the workplace, and those that remain in the workplace tend to be the healthiest and safest workers. Sadly, less safe and injury prone workers have often been forced out of the workplace due to debilitated health by age 55. Second, while the overall number of older workers has dropped slightly, the number of male older workers has dropped significantly. This is due to several factors. The 2008 economic downturn eliminated a large number of manufacturing and construction jobs, positions historically held by men. Accordingly, the number of older women in the workforce now dramatically outweighs the number of men. This has many effects, as women tend to work in less dangerous jobs than men and are safer workers than men in all jobs overall. Thus, a workforce with more women will tend to be a safer workforce overall. Finally, industrial workplaces have seen a rapid influx of automation, removing hands-on work that required strength or repetitive movements, two factors that historically resulted in a large variety of injuries.
Thus, even though there remain many older workers in Mississippi’s workforce, they are more often women and are more often not doing the sort of strength and danger-intensive work that was previously done by men, resulting in a working demographic that has aged but simultaneously becomes less prone to workplace accidents. An exception to this overall trend is the medical field, which remains dominated by women working as nurses and CNA’s whose work requires them to lift patients daily, resulting in an ongoing issue with work-related back issues. Until automation enters the medical field, I predict that women working in this area will still suffer from a high number of back injuries.
What Should You Do If You or a Loved One Has Been Injured at Work?
While workers and workplaces may be safer than ever, there are still unscrupulous employers that fail to maintain safe work environments. These dangerous work areas eventually end up injuring workers. If you or a loved one was injured at work, you should seek medical attention immediately and contact an experienced personal injury attorney soon after. Inexperienced counsel may lead you down a dead end where you receive no compensation for the harm you experienced or the long-term damage to your career and lifestyle. You require the services of experienced personal injury counsel take care of preserving medical records, attaining expert opinions, reviewing evidence, and dealing with the defendant’s attorneys while you get back on your feet again.
Call Barrett Law now, an experienced Mississippi personal injury law firm, to represent you if you have suffered a serious injury. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577. Our Mississippi Personal Injury Attorney looks forward to making a difference for you.