work accident

Although many workplace accidents have relatively minor repercussions, which could result in just a paper cut or scratch, others can have more serious – and potentially fatal – consequences.{{cn|date=December 2024}}

For instance, there are some industries in which individuals are more exposed to occupational hazards than others, such as the construction trade. This had the highest rate of fatal injuries out of all other industry sections in 2011/12. During this period,{{Cite web|url=https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/construction/construction.pdf|title=Health and safety statistics for the construction sector in Great Britain, 2017|website=www.hse.gov.uk|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180827100814/https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/construction/construction.pdf}} falls accounted for 51% of construction injuries resulting in death, demonstrating that builders are more likely to fall from height than those who work in less dangerous locations, such as an office.{{cn|date=December 2024}}

An independent watchdog – the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – aims to reduce the number of work-related fatalities and injuries within Great Britain, publishing statistics that show the different – and most common – types of reported workplace injuries across a range of sectors.{{cn|date=December 2024}}

For example, the HSE reported that, between 2011 and 2012, incidents such as falls from height, becoming trapped by a falling structure, and being struck by a vehicle or moving object, were the reasons for the majority of fatalities to British workers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causinj/kinds-of-accident.htm|title=Kinds of accident|website=www.hse.gov.uk|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325164056/http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causinj/kinds-of-accident.htm}}

It was also revealed that slips, trips or falls were responsible for more than 50% of serious injuries to employees. Furthermore, the majority of incidents that resulted in employees taking more than three days off work – or affected their ability to perform their usual duties over this period – were caused by handling accidents.

Although some accidents at work can have minor effects, the cumulative impact of workplace injuries is significant, translating into an estimated loss of 70 million lost days of work and approximately 540 million days of lost production time in the U.S., in 2023.{{cite web |title=Worker Off-the-Job Safety |url=https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/work-overview/worker-off-the-job-safety/ |website=Injury Facts |publisher=National Safety Council |access-date=5 March 2025}}

File:ladder skid mark.jpg from a faulty ladder.]]

Accidents arise from unsafe behavior and/or unsafe conditions. An important factor is the safety climate or safety culture of an organization. Safety culture concerns how workplace safety is managed, consisting of the shared attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, and values among employees.Cox, S. & Cox, T. (1991) The structure of employee attitudes to safety - a European example Work and Stress, 5, 93 - 106. Faulty equipment can also cause serious personal injuries, a common example being accidents from faulty ladders. If the rubber feet are absent, the base of the aluminium stile can slip suddenly on a hard floor and the user can fall.

File:Danger! Crush Points.jpg]]

According to the Health and Safety Executive,{{cite web |title=Benefits and costs: Leading health and safety at work |url=http://www.hse.gov.uk/leadership/benefits.htm |website=Health and Safety Executive}} employers who implement suitable measures to prevent accidents in the workplace could reap a number of benefits. As well as reducing the number of injuries at work, managers could also:

• Be less likely to suffer legal action
• Acquire a better reputation amongst partners, investors, customers and suppliers
• Have employees who feel more motivated, demonstrating greater productivity
• Reduce costs
• Have reduced employee turnover and absence rates. It has been reported that over 2,000,000 working days each year are lost due to handling accidents and slips and trips alone. In Argentina, the work accident rate in the year 2018 decreased 10% from the previous year.{{cite web |author=estudiomma |date=2019-07-19 |title=Accidente de Trabajo in Itinere O No | Art |url=https://estudiomma.com.ar/accidente-de-trabajo-in-itinere/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825195734/https://estudiomma.com.ar/accidente-de-trabajo-in-itinere/ |archive-date=August 25, 2019 |website=abogados online}}

Depending on the circumstances of a workplace accident, several different parties may be held liable. These may include the employer, employees, property owner, manufacturer, or other third parties. For example, if it can be proven that an employer was negligent by allowing unsafe working conditions to persist, they may be held responsible for any resulting accidents or injuries.

During the 2015 shooting of the movie Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, stuntwoman Olivia Jackson had her arm amputated after her motorbike crashed to a metal camera arm during a high-speed chase.

{{cite web |last=Wareing |first=Charlotte |date=2015-12-21 |title=Star Wars stunt double reveals she will lose an arm after horrific accident on Resident Evil set |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/star-wars-stunt-double-reveals-7050708 |website=Daily Mirror}}

Matilda Rapaport died from an avalanche while filming an advertisement for the 2016 video game Steep.

{{cite web |last=Makuch |first=Eddie |date=July 19, 2016 |title=Pro Skier Dies During Film Shoot for Ubisoft's New Game Steep |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pro-skier-dies-during-film-shoot-for-ubisofts-new-/1100-6441963/}}

• Forensic engineering
• Health and Safety Executive
• National Safety Council
• Occupational injury
• Occupational disease
• Occupational health psychology
• Personal injury
• Social security
• Workers' compensation
• Workers' Memorial Day

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Category:Occupational hazards