Injury-prone industries

Some industries have a higher rate of injury, such as health care, air transportation, farming, wood manufacturing and housekeeping.

In the span of a year, Minnesota had 78,700 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in line with OSHA-recordable incidents, according to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Some of these recordable incidents might qualify for worker’s compensation. While the injury rates have decreased throughout the state in recent years, there are still some industries more prone to injury than others.

Health care workers

Nurses who work at state and local hospitals and residential care facilities are almost twice as likely to be injured when compared to health care workers in private organizations. According to Fortune, the injury rate for this industry is 6.5 injuries per 100 full-time workers.

Health care workers can get injured in a variety of ways. Muscle strain is common because nurses are expected to help patients in and out of bed. Trips and falls can also occur. Overwork can play a role in the increased risk of work-related wounds.

Aircraft and air transportation workers

The air transportation industry has an injury rate of 5.8 per 100 workers. The positions included in this statistic include freight agents, pilots and mechanics. Common incidents in this field include the following:

• Back strain from moving stairs and handling baggage.
• Ear damage due to exposure to loud noises.
• Burns from working with hot mechanical areas.

Workers in this industry may also be prone to falling or ergonomic issues.

Livestock farmers

Farmers, especially those who work with animals, may have a higher risk of getting injured while on the job. Cows and other large animals could kick, crush or trample the farmhands. Similarly, muscle strain may take place when the workers lift bales of hay, bags of feed or buckets of water. In this industry, the rate of injury is 6.6 per 100 workers.

Union contractors

Union contractors are expected to shape, assemble, plane, saw and laminate wood products, which can be a dangerous endeavor. Improper use of tools and personal protective equipment may play a role in the high number of grievances. 5.9 per 100 wood manufacturing workers reported some kind of work-related injury.

Housekeepers

Finally, housekeeping has a wound report rate of 5.1 per 100 full-time workers according to Minnesota 2020. The repetitive lifting motions that are common in the industry are part of what makes being a housekeeper potentially backbreaking. People in this line of work are expected to clean dozens of rooms in as little time as possible, which can lead to slips, twists and other grievances. Pushing heavy carts full of cleaning supplies may also play a role in these injuries.

Minnesota workers can get injured on the job regardless of the industry they are in. Whenever a wound does take place at work, it might be helpful to talk with a knowledgeable attorney.