Falls do not represent the most common reason workers in Georgia suffer injuries on the job. However, the injuries sustained are often serious when a fall occurs. To illustrate this point, the rate of hospitalization for people who fall from ladders is three times higher than the rate for other types of accidents.
The expenses associated with falls are also higher than many other accidents. And this assertion is made before the loss of productivity the company experiences when an employee is injured. Half of the injuries that involve a fall result in workings spending a month or more away from work.
“Plan, provide and train” is the catchphrase attached to the fall prevention plans provided by OSHA. The guidelines call for a risk assessment before work begins. The second part of the OSHA plan is to provide employees with the appropriate equipment for the job they must complete. And lastly, training regarding the rules, equipment, and practices that will keep workers safe from falls should take place regularly.
Complacency is a threat to all workers who leave the ground to perform their job duties. Experienced workers sometimes lose the “healthy fear” needed to keep them safe and begin to take unnecessary risks. OSHA says a second factor is the unknown compounding of risks that takes place on worksites. The safety administration also points to the human error that is always possible as a factor in fall accidents. OSHA says that the supervisors who follow their safety protocols will decrease the risk of fall accidents at their workplaces.
Accidents in the workplace often result in injuries that affect people’s ability to earn a living for themselves and take care of their family responsibilities. An attorney may be able to help an injured person obtain the workers’ comp benefits they need and deserve to sustain them while they recover from their injuries.
