To certain people who work in industries involving manual labor, injuries are just part of the job. It might be a daily occurrence for specific jobs, but certain professions are more prone to sustaining severe or fatal work injuries.
The risks for workers could vary depending on their jobs, industries and tasks. The government closely monitors these demographics, so they can examine them, determine how to improve work conditions and find ways to prevent these figures from increasing.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded fatal work injuries in 2021, including transportation incidents, violence by people or animals and accidents involving equipment. These events often involve workers in select industries.
Wisconsin witnessed a total of 5,190 work-related fatalities in 2021 alone. Data shows that professionals in construction and extraction tied with the transportation industry for the highest number of fatal work injuries in Wisconsin at 22. Following these groups are construction trades workers and motor vehicle operators.
Also, it is worth noting that the data consider specialty trade contractors, with 12 out of 17 fatal work injuries in the construction industry. Most victims of these incidents are employees who might receive coverage from workers’ compensation.
Does workers’ compensation cover fatal work injuries?
The short answer is yes. It can cover expenses related to the fatality. Employers must report them to the state workers’ compensation division within 24 hours of the incident.
Additionally, they must notify their insurance provider within seven days. If they fail to meet these deadlines, employers could receive penalties for bad faith after undergoing an assessment.
The process for fatal injuries could vary depending on the circumstances. Fortunately, Wisconsin provides 24-hour support for this type of incident, allowing them to receive reports via phone or fax.