Though no job can be considered 100 percent safe from workplace accidents, New Jersey workers know that some jobs are just naturally more dangerous than others. When workplace safety is a concern, New Jerseyites may want to avoid jobs in the timber industry as logging is the most dangerous occupation in the United States.
A study of worker deaths across the United States for 2016 found more workers died logging than any other occupation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the fatality rate for all occupation is 3.6 per 100,000 full-time employees but 135.9 for logging industry workers. Fishers, pilots, roofers and trash collectors rounded out the top five most dangerous occupations. Finishing up the top 10 of most dangerous jobs were iron and steel workers, truck drivers, farmers, construction supervisors and groundskeepers.
Transportation accidents were the top cause of workplace fatalities, accounting for 40 percent of the 5,190 fatalities in 2016. Workplace violence edged out trips and falls to be the second highest cause of accidents. Five hundred people died in workplace violence incidents in 2016, the highest it’s been since 2010. These killings weren’t by upset co-workers but rather by robbers and unhappy customers, the survey found.
Whatever the occupation or cause of workplace accidents, injured workers may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits under New Jersey laws. A key to receiving these benefits is to report the accident to supervisors as soon as possible; different rules may apply to those who suffer occupational diseases. Injured workers must also adhere to a medical treatment regime to keep their claim intact. A workers’ compensation attorney may be able to assist with filing a claim or get it reinstated if an approved claim is denied during the process.
