A Massachusetts workplace can be a dangerous environment. There are many possible causes of workplace accidents, and depending on the circumstances, they can lead to a serious injury with major implications for the worker’s health.
Causes of workplace accidents
A workplace accident is any unplanned event that causes damage to property or a person. That covers a wide range of incidents with all kinds of different severity levels. Just about anything can result in a workplace accident; this is not something limited to industrial workplaces, mines, and other high-risk environments. Even an office environment can lead to a serious accident.
There are several key causes of workplace accidents. The top three nonfatal causes are bodily exertion, slips or falls, and contact with equipment. More than three quarters of workplace accidents that do not result in death will fall into one of these three categories. For accidents that do result in death, the most common cause is traffic and transportation accidents. Incidents with harmful substances, violent attacks, fires and other causes are less common, but they can still lead to major injuries and even deaths. While all workplaces are designed to be as safe as possible, negligence or other issues get in the way and create the opportunity for accidents to occur.
It’s important to understand that accidents are not inevitable hazards of working; they shouldn’t take place in a workplace that is properly set up and secured. However, in reality, the outcomes of a workplace accident are unpredictable and wide-ranging. With today’s high safety standards, any incident is worth attention and is a significant lapse of oversight. After an injury occurs, it’s important to uncover what caused it and determine if the employer’s negligence is responsible.