Statistics estimate that about 610,000 workplace injuries occurred between 2017 and 2020. Here are some common injuries that a worker in Minnesota may experience.
Slip and fall
According to stats, falls make up about 16% of workers’ compensation cases, with 22% of them causing a month of missed work. Falls can occur from heights, such as from a ladder, or from low levels, such as slipping on wet, icy or oily surfaces.
Construction workers have the highest risk of injury from falls, and falls are the leading cause of death for them. Falls from a higher level account for 70% of cases in construction work, which often occur from scaffolds and ladders.
Crashes, equipment and falling objects
Before 2020, injuries involving objects and equipment ranked as the third leading cause of missed work days. Equipment and object accidents may occur from getting hit by falling materials, getting caught between equipment, bumping into objects and being under collapsing structures.
Many workplace crashes occur from forklifts, tanker trucks, crane lifts, falls out of vehicles or intoxicated drivers. Crashes and contact with objects and equipment can cause death and serious injuries, including broken bones, crushed limbs and traumatic brain injury.
Overexertion
Overexertion is the leading cause of days missed from work among all age groups, costing employers over $13 billion in 2018. The transportation, warehouse, agricultural, health care, manufacturing and construction industries have the highest risk of overexertion injuries.
Overexertion commonly causes carpel tunnel syndrome, back injury, heat exhaustion, joint and tendon injury, and muscle sprains and strains. These injuries are often caused by heavy lifting, typing, reaching, pushing or other manual labor with no break to rest muscles.
A worker may be able to draw full or partial compensation until they heal, depending on the situation. However, it isn’t unusual for legitimate claims to get denied, so injured employees may need to appeal.
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