Many New York residents may be surprised to learn just how many workplace injuries occur each year in the state. A new report has released recent numbers and they are staggering. According to the report, 463,400 work-related injuries occurred among private employees in New York State from 2010 to 2012. These injuries cost the state’s economy $10.9 billion during that same time. Of the injuries that occurred between 2010 and 2012, more than 245,000 of the injuries resulted in time away from work for an employee.
In particular, this study showed that service-industry workers were in specific danger. Of the injuries, 83 percent were to service-industry employees. Many of these injuries were from overexertion while on the job.
These statistics may leave many New Yorkers wondering what can be done to keep New York’s workers safe. Experts have asked this same question. Many believe that creating safety programs and protocols within private businesses will cut back on the number of injuries. Furthermore, some people are calling for greater government oversight and an increased budget for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration — which is responsible for investigating workplace accidents.
While measures can always be taken to keep workers safe, these measure will be too little, too late for the workers who have already been injured. As this study showed, many workers have missed time away from work as a result of an injury, they likely have suffered loss wages as a result. Furthermore, medical expenses are also likely following these types of injuries. In these cases, workers’ compensation may be the best remedy for an injured worker. Workers’ compensation can help workers pay for the costs associated with devastating injuries and accidents that occur at work.
Source: EHS Today, “Workplace Injuries in New York Cost the Economy $10.9 Billion in Three Years“, Sandy Smith, May 6, 2014