COMMON WORKERS’ COMP INJURIES

Workers in Alaska and around the country sometimes sustain injuries on the job. An injury at work could cause a short-term or long-term disability and prevent an employee from being able to do the job. Looking at the data about common workers’ comp injuries helps employers develop prevention strategies and tighten safety practices.

There are a variety of different types of injuries that occur in the workplace, but some injuries are more common than others. According to the Injury Impact Report from The Travelers Companies, strains and sprains are the most common workplace injury, with an average of 57 missed workdays. Other common injuries at work include cuts and punctures, material handling accidents, falls, motor vehicle accidents and eye injuries.

Some injuries are more prevalent in certain industries, as the data in the Injury Impact Report indicates. Manufacturing and retail jobs have a higher rate of material handling mishaps. Falling is a common injury in the construction and retail sectors. Workers in the oil and gas industry have a higher rate of injuries from motor vehicle accidents at work, and the manufacturing and construction sectors see more eye injuries in the workplace.

Preventing workplace accidents and injuries is possible if employers follow the proper safety precautions. The good news is that the rate of nonfatal workplace injuries is going down slightly. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were 45,800 fewer cases of nonfatal workplace injuries in 2017 than in the previous year.

Despite the slightly lower rate of overall injuries at work, the rate of injuries requiring time away from work has not changed. Common workplace injuries continue to cause employees to miss about the same amount of time from work.