Yesterday the ALF-CIO (America’s largest group of labor unions) released the 2012 Death on the Job Report.
The report compiled and analyzed statistics from the last four decades. The results showed an overall decrease in work related deaths, but an alarming number of workers are still being injured and killed on the job.
In 2010, there were 13 on the job deaths and 50,000 deaths caused by work related disease. The number of workplace deaths rose 3.1 percent from 2009. This increase is particularly troubling considering how high the unemployment rate is. Additionally, Latinos die on the job 8% more than all other workers.
The report emphasized the need for greater government enforcement of safe working conditions and harsher penalties for companies that break the rules.
West Virginia, Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota were the states with the highest workplace fatality rate, while Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire had the lowest rates. Minnesota workplace fatality and injury rates fell in the mid to low level range compared to other states.
Related Sources:
aflcio.org
Huffpost.com
