Atlanta Workers’ Compensation: Preventing Common Georgia Workplace Injuries

 

Each year, millions of Americans are affected by workplace injuries, both directly and indirectly. While Georgia on-the-job injuries are statistically lower than that of the entire nation, many must still seek workers’ compensation for injuries that were preventable. Atlanta workers who have been injured at work, should speak to a workers’ compensation attorney about their legal options.

Top Workplace Injuries

Prevention of on-the-job injuries begins by understanding which accidents are happening most often.

  1. Overexertion and stress account for more than 25 percent of costs related to workplace injuries, and includes many cases resulting in permanent disabilities or even death. While some injuries manifest immediately, employees may not exhibit symptoms until much later. These injuries occur most frequently at factory, construction, or other physically demanding jobs, but may happen on any job.
  1. Slips, trips, and falls are also major contributors to workplace injuries, resulting in everything from minor bumps to severe disabilities and fatalities. In many cases slips, trips, and falls are due to unsafe work environments and negligence.
  1. Motor vehicle accidents contribute most heavily to on-the-job fatalities in Georgia in 2013. The transportation industry, particularly truck drivers are at risk for these accidents, but any workplace with motor vehicles on the premises may have incidents.
  1. Bodily reaction injuries occur when workers are injured attempting to prevent a fall. They often result in strained, twisted, or sprained ankles and workers such a nurses and police officers are common victims. 
  1. Falling objects often lead to injuries for retail workers, construction workers, and restaurant employees. Objects falling from shelves, materials, or tools dropped by other workers can have serious consequences.
  1. Falling into objects is another type of accident that frequently plagues a range of jobs, from office workers to factory employees. 
  1. Equipment injuries result in some of the worst workplace injuries including lacerations, amputations, and death. According to the Department of Labor, equipment and machine injuries are most common in manufacturing businesses such as bottle water manufacturing, truss manufacturing, travel trailer camper manufacturing, and steel foundries.
  1. Repetitive motion injuries can happen anywhere workers carry out the same motions. Repetition injuries may lead tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and bursitis.
  1. Illness in the workplace is a very common workers’ compensation claim and workers at nursing and residential care facilities are particularly susceptible. Manufacturing industry workers also run the risk for these injuries through lung and chemical burns.

Preventing Injuries

Accidents will always happen, but a vast number of workplace injuries could be prevented by ensuring safe work environments. It is both the responsibility of employers and employees to always use safety equipment, ensure that machinery is working correctly, and that hazards are well marked.  A work environment that is clean and clutter-free, awareness, and asking for assistance when necessary would all heavily reduce injuries in all of the aforementioned categories of injuries.

Help Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim

Being injured on-the-job can be both financially and emotionally difficult. Although employers are required to offer workers’ compensation, many injured Atlanta workers miss out on benefits because they are either unaware of their rights or their employer assumes they do not know them. If you have been injured while performing your job, it is crucial that you speak to an Atlanta workers’ compensation attorney as soon as possible. For a free consultation and information regarding filing a workers’ compensation claim here in Georgia, call Workers Compensation Lawyers at 678-504-6565.

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