FACTS

1. The most common OSHA violation is fall protection in construction.
2. Fatal falls account for 17.2% of fatal workplace injuries, representing a 26-year high, and about a quarter of these falls occur from heights of 10 feet or less.
3. Falls at any height are dangerous. “Falls on the same level” (e.g., tripping) are the second most common cause of workplace injuries. (The most common they found is overexertion)
4. The second most common OSHA violation is inadequate or otherwise non-compliant hazard communication in general industry. More businesses need to do a better job of communicating with their employees about workplace hazards.
5. Non-fatal accidents are also incredibly common. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report that private industry employers reported nearly 3 million non-fatal workplace injuries in 2016.
6. Most workplace injuries and illnesses are under-reported.

STATS

• Thousands of people die from injuries sustained at work every year. In 2016, the number was 5,190. In 2017, it was 5,147.
• A total of 5,333 workers died from a work-related injury in the U.S. in 2019, up 2 percent from the 2018 total of 5,250. The fatal work injury rate was 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers, which was the rate reported in 2018.
• In 2019, the rate of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses among private industry employees was 2.8 cases per 100 full-time equivalent workers. Private industry workers incurred 2.8 million injuries or illnesses in 2019, unchanged from 2018.
• The report shows that 97% of workers have at least one workplace fatigue risk factor and more than 80% have two or more.
• Research shows 13% of workplace injuries can be attributed to fatigue, a dangerous by product of a society that operates 24 hours a day.
• Sixty percent to 80% of workplace accidents are attributed to stress, and it’s estimated that more than 80% of doctor visits are due to stress.
• OSHA reports that there is an average of 12 work-related fatalities throughout the United States every day.
• Falls: Approximately 36.5% of all deaths in the workplace occurred due to employees falling.
• Struck by an Object: An estimated 10.1% of deaths occurred due to swinging, falling, or misplaced objects.
• Electrocutions: About 8.6% of employees died due to electrocution.