Industrial Injuries

Thousands of people are injured in the United Statesgases, height, heat, sharp moving machinery, poisonous
each day while at work. While there are moregases, and explosive materials. These hazards can
susceptible occupation types, injuries can be sustainedlead to such injuries as: repetitive strain injury,
in most any job. To protect both workers andasbestosis, and Silicosis.
employers, all states have enacted workersSome of the most dangerous occupations types are
compensation laws.workers in the industries of timber cutting, fishing, pilots
While injuries occur to every area of the body, thenavigators, drivers-sales workers, roofing, structural
most usual organs involved in on the job injuries are:metal workers, and farm occupations. For example, for
back, neck, hands, head, eyes, lungs, and skin. Commonevery 100,000-timber cutters, on average about 118
causes of industrial injury are poor ergonomics (suchworkers die each year and thousands are injured.
as an administrative worker with an improperly fittedEmployers in these occupation types pay higher
chair or desk height), exposure to general hazards,workers compensation insurance premiums. For
misuse of failure of equipment, and inadequate safetyexample in Washington state, select jobs in the logging
training. For example, the wearing loose clothing,industry are charged as high as ten dollars per hour for
jewelry, or hair getting entangled in machinery happensworkers compensation coverage. Other less risky
all to often and can be easily avoided by followingoccupation such as a clerical worker, the rate may be
proper procedures.as low as eleven cents for each employee hour
There are many hazards in the workplace. Some ofworked.
the most common are: fire, electricity, flammable