Certain professions have a strong association with a persistent fall risk. For example, those who work in construction are often outside at significant elevations. Employers need to provide training and safety equipment to minimize the possibility of falls.
However, workers do not need to do their jobs several stories above ground level to be at risk of a fall. According to workplace safety data, falls are a concern for employees in every profession. Employees at retail shops, offices, factories and restaurants could fall and end up hurt badly enough to require workers’ compensation benefits.
Falls are a leading source of injury
Workers can fall both from a significant elevation and at the same level where they stand. Both types of Falls can result in serious injury and sometimes even death. According to workplace injury data, workplace falls are responsible for 5% of workplace deaths for women and 11% of men’s on-the-job deaths.
Typically, dozens of workers suffer injuries for each worker who dies on the job. Every year, companies report that hundreds of thousands of workers miss at least one day of work because of injuries caused by a fall. Same-level falls are less likely than false from an elevation to lead to fatalities. Still, they can cause injuries including broken bones and traumatic brain injuries.
The consequences of a major fall could include hospitalization and a lengthy leave of absence from work. Workers may need help paying for their care and covering their cost-of-living expenses until they recover. Filing a claim for workers’ compensation benefits may help those who fall on the job reduce the financial impact of their injuries.