According to a Texas Department of Insurance study, Texas work-related fatalities rose by 25% in 2019. A startling 608 workplace fatalities occurred in private and public/governmental sectors compared to 488 in 2018. Here is why every Texan should understand the risks of the workplace, and what to do should they face the tragedy of a lost loved one due to a work-related accident.
Industry Statistics
In 2019, fatal occupational injury rates in Texas were 4.7 per 100,000 full-time employees. Of these accidents 94% were in the private sector, representing 573 of the total 608 incidents. The remaining incidents occurred at public/governmental sector workplaces. Some key statistics include:
- 5,333 fatal occupational injuries nationally with an incident rate of 3.5
- In public and private sectors, transportation and utilities was the industry with the highest number of fatal work injuries at 199 incidents or 33% of all Texas incidents
- 20% of fatal work injuries occurred in the construction industry with 123 incidents in 2019 compared to 107 incidents in 2018
All of these industries can prove highly dangerous, especially when an employer does not take precautions to keep employees safe. Whether they are injured or lost their life due to the negligence of non-subscriber employer negligence, you should speak to a workplace injury lawyer to discuss compensation.
Occupation Statistics
Increases experienced in several occupations including:
- Driver/sales workers and truck drivers were the occupations with the highest incidents with 142 or 23% of all fatal work injuries
- For construction laborers they saw an increase that almost doubled in 2019 from 17 to 32, representing 5% of all incidents
- Transportation was the event or exposure with the highest work fatalities with 283 incidents or 47% of the total incidents
Fatal occupational injuries were 88% waged or salaried employees. On a more positive note, laborers and material mover incidents decreased by 12% in 2019. These occupations also increase the risk for injuries that entitle your loved ones to compensation even if their employer does not subscribe to workers’ compensation.
Causes of Workplace Fatalities
The most common causes of workplace fatalities are as follows:
- Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance saw a 188% increase in 2019
- Construction and extraction accounted for 22% of all fatalities
- Transportation and material moving accounted for 33% of all fatalities with 283 transportation incidents in Texas
- Falls, slips, and trips accounted for 16% of all accidents, at 96 incidents
- Incidents caused by violence by persons or animals accounted for 15% of all accidents, with 86 incidents
Suffering injuries at work, even if they do not cause death, entitle the worker to compensation.
What You Can Do About a Workplace Fatality
If you experienced the devastation of a lost loved one due to a workplace injury, you have a right to seek compensation. If your loved one was employed by a non-subscriber company and was injured at work, do not hesitate to speak to a workplace injury attorney.
If you lost a loved one or if you were injured due to a work-related accident at a non-subscriber workplace, speak to the Malley team to learn about your rights to compensation.
