A young male employee at a Lowe’s store in Lubbock, Texas died when a stack of wood fell on top of him. Lowe’s headquarters has already sent internal investigators to the scene. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is also expected to send its own investigators.
OSHA is a part of the United States Department of Labor, which inspects businesses to see if all safety and health regulations are in place. Businesses that fail to comply can receive fines or other penalties depending on the severity of the violation. Repeated violations can receive extra penalties.
Are Contact with Object Injuries the Most Common Workplace Injury?
According to OSHA statistics, contact with objects (such as falling lumber) is involved in 23.1 percent of all workplace injuries. Only overexertion (34.4 percent) as well as slip and falls (25.5 percent) injuries are more common. These three categories cover approximately 83 percent of all workplace injuries.
OSHA’s statistics for 2013 show that 76 Texas workers, all of whom were men, were injured by contact with objects or equipment. The age range of 45 to 54 was the most common age group to suffer an injury by an object or equipment. Goods producing industries, such as agriculture, forestry, fishing, construction and manufacturing are most likely to have a workplace injury caused by an object or equipment.
However, OSHA has set out guidelines for employers to protect their workers, such as keeping the workplace area hazard free and providing appropriate training on the job. Negligent employers will sometimes skip over these essential regulations. When they do avoid safety obligations, employees can be fined, or punished through the courtroom, especially when their careless actions cause an employee to get hurt.
Have You Been Injured on the Job in Austin, Texas?
If you have been injured or need legal advice for a workers’ compensation issue, then call our workplace injury attorneys at The Law Offices of Aaron Allison. We represent injured Austin workers in their time of need.
The Law Offices of Aaron Allison – Austin Personal Injury Attorney
