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The most dangerous work environment isn’t what most people expect

On Behalf of | Oct 23, 2024 | Workers' Compensation

When people talk about dangerous work environments, they often reference the deadliest professions. Certain careers significantly increase the possibility of people dying prematurely. The rise of on-the-job reality shows have raised awareness about many of the most dangerous professions.

People now know that professional fishermen, timber professionals and construction workers have more risk of dying on the job than many other types of workers. However, there are typically numerous workplace injuries reported for every workplace fatality that occurs.

The most dangerous work environments are therefore the places where employees are likely to get hurt on the job rather than to die at work. Some people mistakenly assume that the work environments that are the deadliest are also the most dangerous. However, federal workplace safety data makes it clear that the most dangerous place to work isn’t out on the open ocean or at a construction site. Instead, it is at hospitals.

Why are hospitals so dangerous?

When looking at lost-time incidents where employees had to take time away from their jobs, one workplace is clearly far more dangerous than any other. Hospitals see more workers requesting time off for injuries than even construction sites. There are 157.5 lost-time incidents per 10,000 full-time workers in hospitals reported, while there are only 147.4 reported for construction professionals and 105.2 per 10,000 workers across all private employment sectors.

Hospitals are statistically more dangerous than any other specific work environment. The number one injury concern is overexertion and bodily reaction. Hospital employees often need to provide physical support for patients. They can end up suffering sprains, strains and repetitive stress injuries from helping to lift or move patients.

Rushing to respond to an emergency is also dangerous, as falls are another leading cause of injury for hospital workers. Contact with dangerous objects ranging from bodily fluids and scalpels to artificial external defibrillation devices can also leave hospital workers in need of medical care themselves.

For some, patient violence is what compromises their health. Hospital employees have to deal with people experiencing mental health emergencies, those under the influence of mind-altering substances and criminals who may not want to go back into state custody. All of those factors combined to make hospitals very dangerous places to work.

Thankfully, injured medical employees may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. They may qualify for disability benefits while they recover and medical coverage for any treatment they must undergo. Realizing that a hospital is a dangerous place to work can take some of the hesitation out of a medical professional initiating a workers’ compensation claim.