The National Safety Council (NSC) has released a new analysis of injuries in the workplace from 2017. Unfortunately, the news was not good for women workers. One fact that stood out in the study was that there were several professions or work settings where women were disproportionately more likely to be injured on the job than their male counterparts.
Assaults at work much higher rate
According to the study, women workers are victims in 7 of every 10 non-fatal assault-related injuries. This adds up to 12,820 incidents nationally in 2017, which is a 60% increase from 2011. Male workers were involved in 5,530 non-fatal assault-related incidents nationally during 2017.
Other safety challenges women face
There were other areas where women were injured at a noticeably higher rate:
- Women workers make up 61% of complications related to repetitive motion
- Women workers make up 59% of injuries caused by another individual
- Women workers make up 57% of falls on the same level
Professions more dangerous to women
There were also certain professions where women suffered illness or non-fatal injury at a higher percentage than men:
- Women were involved in 80% of non-fatal injuries or illnesses in healthcare
- Women were involved in 61% of non-fatal injuries or illnesses in education
- Women were involved in 60% of non-fatal injuries or illnesses in management, business or finance positions
A safe workplace for all
There was no non-fatal injury or illness data broken down by state and gender, so we only have these national numbers to consider. However, this should not stop Georgia employers to reevaluate the safety of the workplace for both genders. It would also be useful to consult female employees to determine how safety improvements can be made.
Those injured on the job are encouraged to seek medical help. It may be necessary to file a worker’s compensation claim or file suit against the negligent parties if the injuries or illnesses are severe or long term. An attorney experienced at handling these matters can be a tremendous help, allowing workers to focus on their recovery while these legal professionals can address the paperwork, appeals or lawsuits that are necessary.
