Workers' Compensation Facts and Figures

More than 125 people died in work-related accidents across North Carolina in 2014, federal statistics show. North Carolina was one of 24 states to report a higher number of fatal work injuries in 2014.

Federal work safety regulators working with private industry have taken steps to reduce the number of workplace injuries and fatalities in recent decades. But too many workers in North Carolina and across the U.S. continue to sustain injuries or get killed on the job, often in accidents that could be prevented by more emphasis on safety in the workplace.

Workers compensation covers injuries (including fatal injuries) and illnesses resulting a specific workplace accident as well as injuries or illness that develop over a period of time that are directly related to your employment. A North Carolina workers compensation attorney can assist you in filing a workers’ compensation claim or appealing a claim that has been denied.

  • North Carolina reported 91,600 occupational injuries in 2014, leading to 24,300 days away from work and 22,800 with a job transfer or restriction, according to the  Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  • In private industry, North Carolina totaled 72,300 occupational injuries with 19,800 requiring days away from work and 18,100 with a job transfer or restriction.

North Carolina reported 128 fatal occupational injuries in 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, including:

Of the workers who died in workplace accidents, 121 were men and 7 were women.

  • The Raleigh area reported 10 deaths in workplace accidents in 2014. The Greensboro-High Point area had 12 workplace fatalities. Fayetteville had 10 worker deaths and Rocky Mount had 2 ocupational-related deaths.
  • One hundred and eight of North Carolina’s work-related deaths took place in private industry, 59 of those in goods production, including 35 in construction. Twenty-nine of the deaths were reported in trade, transportation and utilities industries.

On a national scale:

  • A total of 4,679 people were killed in workplace accidents in 2014, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Department of Labor. That represents 90 deaths and more than 13 workplace fatalities every day. The total represents an increase of 2 percent over the previous year.
  • Fatal work injuries in construction and mining increased 5 percent to 885 deaths in 2014, representing the highest count for this sector since 2008.

OSHA’s report shows 789 Hispanic or Latino workers were killed by work-related injuries in 2014, equating to 15 deaths weekly or two Latino workers killed every day.

  • Transportation accidents, primarily traffic accidents and pedestrians struck by vehicles, accounted for 40 percent of workplace injuries in 2014.
  • Seventeen percent of work-related deaths stemmed from contractor jobs in 2014.

Of the 4,251 workplace deaths in the private industry in 2014, 874 deaths or roughly one of every five worker deaths took place in construction work.

  • Private employers across the U.S. reported approximately 54,000 fewer non-fatal workplace injuries in 2014 than the previous year.
  • Nearly half of the 3 million workers who had a workplace injury or work-related illnesses in 2013 required time off work, a job transfer or work restrictions, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Approximately 95 percent of the cases involved injuries, while 5 percent involved illnesses.

“Fatal Four”

Certain types of accidents cause the majority of accidental deaths of construction workers. The accidents include falls, being struck by an object, electrocutions and crushing injuries caused by being caught-in/between objects. These four type of accidents, known as the fatal four, accounted for 58 percent of deaths involving construction workers in 2014, according to OSHA.

Eliminating these types of accidents would save the lives of 508 American workers annually, the federal agency says.

Top 10 OSHA standards violations for fiscal 2014

For the fifth year in a row, the failure of employers to require workers to wear adequate fall protection equipment topped OSHA’s list of the most frequently cited safety violations.

OSHA cuts fatalities

  • Over 40 years, OSHA and its state partners have worked with employers and safety and health professionals to improve workplace safety, according to the agency.
  • Workplace deaths are down by more than 66 percent and job injury and illness rates have dropped by 67 percent, while employment nationwide has nearly doubled since 1970.
  • Employee fatalities dropped from 38 a day in 1970 to 12 daily in 2014.

Worker injuries and illnesses fell from 10.9 incidents per 100 employees to 3.3 per 100 in 2013.

Have you been injured in a workplace accident in North Carolina? Hardison & Cochran is dedicated to helping injured workers receive the full compensation that they deserve after a serious workplace accident. Our firm takes this approach:

  • Our Raleigh workers comp accident lawyers work quickly and keep you informed at every stage in the process.
  • We make sure clients receive benefits as soon as possible.
  • If your workers’ compensation claim is turned down, we take aggressive action to schedule appeal hearings and present strong evidence to back up our client’s claim.
  • Our workers’ compensation attorneys work to obtain a maximum settlement if it is in our client’s best interest.
  • We understand the frustration of being out of work and treat injured workers with courtesy and respect.

Hardison & Cochran serves injured workers and victims of personal injury accidents throughout North Carolina, including, but not limited to, Raleigh, Cary, Durham and Fayetteville.