Most employers in Pennsylvania are required to have some form of workers’ compensation insurance. Even if an employer does everything to keep their workers safe, accidents are bound to happen. In a lot of work settings, injuries happen because of repetitive motions, not dangerous work conditions.
The latest statistics on nonfatal workplace injuries
In 2019, there were 2.8 million non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Almost one-third of those cases required the injured worker to miss a day or more of work. The rate that year averaged out to 2.8 workplace injuries per 100 full-time equivalent workers.
The industry with the highest rate of injury
The industry with the highest number of nonfatal workplace injuries in 2019 was manufacturing. Workers in manufacturing sustained 15% of all nonfatal injuries and illnesses in the private sector that year. Manufacturing is an industry with a wide range of jobs, including many jobs that require repetitive motion and heavy lifting tasks.
Researchers also looked at the types of injuries that tend to lead to more workers’ compensation claims. Around one-third of the nonfatal work injuries that caused a missed day of work involved a sprain, strain, or tear. Next, soreness and pain led to 17.7% of these missed workdays.
Musculoskeletal injuries can take time to heal
Repetitive motion injuries and sprains from lifting heavy objects are very common. These cumulative work injuries can get worse each day and may eventually become unbearable. If you are suffering from a workplace injury, you may be entitled to compensation while you take the time to heal.
