U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) statistics show there were as many as 145,000 warehouse workers here in North Carolina and around the country as of 2011. Worker injuries are sadly commonplace in these facilities. They often result in employees missing time from work and pay in the process. There are some trends as to when these injuries occur.
Some common types of injury that occurs in a warehouse are pushing, reaching, lifting and pulling ones. Slips and falls, forklift and material handling ones also occur more frequently than others.
Most warehouse injuries happen in materials storage areas or on docks. They also happen to those who are responsible for package handling or manual lifting, to those operating forklifts and working alongside conveyor belts.
Forklift injuries
Data published by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) shows that over 20,000 workers suffer injuries in forklift accidents on an annual basis. At least 100 workers die in similar types of incidents.
At least a quarter of all forklift accidents occur when it overturns on them. Others happen because its racks are too small, have altered configurations or are damaged. Others come from rearranging or damage and improper use of the forklift.
Slips and falls
DOL statistics show that slips, trips and falls are one of the leading \”general industry accidents.\” That same data reveals that as many as 95 million workers are forced to miss work after becoming injured in these types of incidents each year. Their data also shows that this type of injury accounts for 25% of all workers\’ compensation claims filed. It also results in 15% of all employees\’ accidental deaths.
OSHA regulators often aren\’t called in to investigate potentially dangerous workplaces until after someone has been seriously hurt or injured.
If you\’ve been hurt on the job, then you shouldn\’t have just any workers\’ compensation attorney handle your case for you. You should instead have one who has access to state-of-the-art research technology and a skilled legal team handle it for you. By doing so, you\’ll have the best chance of recovering the compensation that you deserve in your Goldsboro workplace accident case.