All jobs include some risk of injury, even if it’s very small. In most years, there are very few occupations in which no one suffers a serious or fatal injury, regardless of how safe that job might seem.

You probably won’t raise an eyebrow to hear that, across the United States, more than 900 people in the construction trades and over 200 in public safety jobs died at work in 2015. But it might surprise you to learn, for example, that, in the same year, three meeting and event planners, four real estate agents, and one radio and television announcer also died in workplace accidents.

How safe are New York workers, and which workers are injured the most? Let’s take a look.

More Than 200,000 Injuries

The state of New York had a total of more than 209,000 workplace injuries and serious workplace-related illnesses in 2015. More than half of those illnesses and injuries led to a worker losing at least one day of work.

That number might seem like a lot, and it is, but New York workers are safer than the national average. Workers here are injured at the rate of about 2.4 per 100 each year, while that number is 3.0 per 100 nationally. The difference might seem small, but at the higher rate, New York would see more than half a million additional injuries each year.

Most Injured, Most Dangerous

The professions with the most injuries are not necessarily those that are the most dangerous. In New York, for example, most injuries happen to state and local government workers and those in educational and health services professions. But that’s likely because there are more people doing those jobs than most others.

When it comes to which workers have the greatest chance of being injured on the job, the situation is a little different. At least one of the top three job categories with the highest injury risk might surprise you:

  • Healthcare workers lead the way, with 12.7 injuries per 100 per year.
  • Public administration workers (police, firefighters, and other public safety officials) are injured at a rate of 8.5 per 100 per year.
  • Workers in natural resources jobs (mining, agriculture, fishing, and the like), traditionally dangerous occupations, have the third highest rate of injury (six per 100)—more than double the state average.

Most Deadly

On the other hand, if we look at the worst on-the-job accidents—those that are fatal—the picture is different. Natural resources jobs are at the top of the list in terms of risk to workers, with construction well behind but still far ahead of all other professions.

New York saw 236 on-the-job fatalities in 2015, and when you exclude traffic fatalities and violent acts while working, construction was most dangerous (as in most years), leading to nearly 40 percent of all on-the-job deaths in the state. Falls and being struck by heavy objects or equipment at a worksite were the most common reasons.

Long Island Workplace Injury Lawyer

Almost all on-the-job injuries are preventable. They happen because workplace safety isn’t enforced, workers aren’t trained properly, or for some other reason that allows foreseeable hazards to exist.

When you’ve been injured on the job, workers compensation insurance may cover some of the harm, but it’s important to discuss your situation with an attorney immediately to see whether you’re able to pursue additional compensation by filing a personal injury claim.

Siler & Ingber, LLP are experienced with Long Island workplace injury law, and we offer every client a free initial consultation. To schedule an appointment, call 1-877-718-6079 or enter your information into the online contact form at the bottom of the page today.

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