A report recently issued by the AFL-CIO has found that, every day, about 150 people in the U.S. die as a result of work-related accidents or occupational illnesses. This report, entitled Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect, notes that, until the U.S. “renews the commitment to protect workers from injury, disease and death,” this deadly trend will continue.
More Findings from the AFL-CIO Report
discuss the findings of an AFL-CIO report regarding
work-related deaths in the U.S. Contact us if you’ve been
hurt at work.
In addition to pointing out the daily death toll for the American workforce, this AFL-CIO report has also found that:
- On an annual basis, about 50,000 American workers die as a result of occupational illnesses while nearly 4,700 other workers are killed in work accidents. – To put this into perspective, Americans are more than 270 times more likely to die in a work-related accident than in a terrorist attack.
- Alaska, Arkansas, North Dakota and Wyoming were the states with the highest rates of workplace deaths.
- Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Washington State were those with the lowest death rates.
- Latino workers, particularly those born outside of the U.S., have one of the highest rates of workplace fatalities, as their risk of a work-related death is about 14 percent higher than it is for other workers.
- OSHA is underfunded and understaffed. At current staffing levels, it would take OSHA about 113 years to inspect the 8 million or so workplaces in the U.S.
Commenting on these findings, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka has stated that it’s “unacceptable that so many hardworking men and women continue to die on the job… no one should have to sacrifice his or her life to health and safety in order to earn a decent living.”
Trumka went on to state that:
Elected leaders, business groups and employers refuse to provide stronger protections for working families and are actively trying to dismantle working people’s right to collectively bargain on the job and speak out against unsafe, unjust working conditions. This is a disgrace to all those who have died. America’s workers deserve better.
Report Recommendations
To reverse these trends and save the lives of American workers, this report has recommended that additional legislation be passed to extend the coverage of the OSH Act and better protect workers in the U.S.
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St Louis Workers Compensation Lawyers at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law
If you have suffered a work injury or have been diagnosed with an occupational illness, contact the St Louis workers compensation lawyers at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law. We have a long-standing commitment to serving our clients, and we are experienced at aggressively defending our clients’ rights in any legal setting.
To learn more about how we can help you, attend a free, no obligations initial consult with a St Louis workers compensation lawyer at Brown & Brown. You can schedule this meeting by calling us at 573-333-3333 for our Missouri office or at 618-888-8888 for our Illinois office. You can also email us using the form at the right-hand side of the screen.
