Too Many On-the-Job Deaths
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says 4,693 people died from on-the-job injuries in 2011, the third lowest overall number since the bureau began counting in 1992. The overall fatal work injury rate was 3.5 fatal injuries per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers.
The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, an advocacy group, says the numbers are still too high.
“These deaths were largely preventable,” Tom O’Connor, executive director of the organization, told New York NOW. “Simply by following proven safety practices and complying with [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] standards, many of these more than 4,600 deaths could have been avoided.”
It was the fifth consecutive year that fatal work injuries fell in the private construction industry. Nonetheless, the construction industry accounted for 738 deaths, more than any other industry.
As New York Now put it in a headline, “On-the-job deaths continue at steady, grim pace,”
If someone you love has been seriously injured or died in a preventable accident in the construction industry, the New York/New Jersey construction injury attorneys at the Ginarte law firm may be able to help you get compensation. Contact us for a free consultation about your case. With seven offices conveniently located in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, we have an office near you. Contact the firm today by calling 888-446-2783 for your free consultation or fill out our online contact form.
Sources:
- BLS: Revisions to the 2011 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) counts
