The Occupational Safety & Health Act of 1970
In 1970, the government took a step to improve workplace safety by enacting the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Recognizing the high rates of injury and death despite advancements in work conditions, this legislation introduced comprehensive reforms to safeguard the American workforce. It established stringent safety requirements and heightened worker awareness of job-related dangers and health risks. This Act marked a crucial moment in reducing fatalities and injuries in industrial jobs. However, ensuring nationwide compliance with these laws is challenging.
The sobering reality of workplace dangers:
- Approximately 50,000 workers succumb to occupational illnesses annually.
- Over 24,000 workers endure severe injuries each year.
- 800 fatalities are attributed to workplace violence every year.
Employers' implementation and adherence to safety regulations are crucial in preventing workplace incidents. Employers are responsible for providing comprehensive training and proactively eliminating workplace hazards. When they fail to address these hazards, they must be held accountable. Our Corpus Christi work accident lawyers are here to do just that.
Common Injuries from Corpus Christi Workplace Accidents
Work accidents can lead to a range of injuries, many of which can have lasting effects. Understanding common injuries in these environments helps underscore the importance of workplace safety and the need for proper protective measures.
Some of the most common work-related injuries include the following:
- Amputation/Loss of Limb: Severe accidents can lead to the loss of limbs, which presents both significant physical challenges and emotional trauma for the injured worker.
- Blunt Force & Penetrating Trauma: Accidents involving falling objects or impacts from machinery can cause serious injuries such as fractures, internal bleeding, and organ damage.
- Brain & Spinal Cord Injuries: These injuries are often the result of falls or heavy impacts and can lead to paralysis, cognitive impairments, and other permanent disabilities.
- Chemical & Thermal Burns: Exposure to hazardous chemicals or high temperatures can lead to severe burns, which may cause significant tissue damage, infection, and long-term scarring.
- Crushing Injuries: These occur when a worker is caught between or under heavy machinery or equipment, leading to severe trauma, broken bones, and sometimes loss of limbs.
- Electrocution & Electric Shock: Often resulting from contact with live wires or malfunctioning equipment, these injuries can cause severe burns, cardiac issues, and long-term nerve damage.
- Toxic Exposure: Inhaling or coming into contact with toxic substances can cause acute and chronic health issues, including respiratory problems, skin conditions, and long-term diseases.
Protecting Victims of Plant, Refinery, Factory & Other Work Accidents
Each day, workers enter industrial workplaces that have stood for decades, powering Texas' massive industrial sector and, by extension, the state's economy. As this progression has continued, so have the laws designed to protect the workers driving it. However, some employers neglect these laws despite these protections, creating unsafe work environments. This neglect places employees at chemical plants, refineries, factories, and other industrial sites at unnecessary risk.
Work accidents resulting from such neglect occur regularly in various industrial settings:
- Drilling Rigs: Unsafe drilling practices and equipment failures can lead to catastrophic injuries.
- Oilfields: Workers face dangers from heavy machinery, toxic chemicals, and more.
- Mines: The inherent risks of mining include cave-ins, toxic exposure, and equipment accidents.
- Warehouses: Hazards include forklift accidents, falling objects, and unsafe shelving practices.
- Factories: Poor maintenance, lack of protocols, and inadequate training can all cause accidents.
- Chemical Plants: Exposure to hazardous substances and explosions are significant risks.
- Refineries: The risk of fires, explosions, and toxic exposures are constant threats.
In these environments, rigorous safety standards and regulations are essential to protect workers. Employers must adhere to safety protocols, conduct regular safety drills, maintain machinery, and provide necessary personal protective equipment such as gloves, helmets, and eye protection. Comprehensive training programs should be implemented, and a culture of safety should be fostered where employees can report hazards without fear of retaliation. By taking these proactive measures, employers can reduce workplace injuries and create safer environments for all employees.
Helping the Victims of Corpus Christi Construction Accidents
Construction work is dangerous; employees work at great heights, deal with heavy objects, and are likely exposed to toxic chemicals. According to OSHA, 21% of all fatal injuries occur at construction sites nationwide. Studies conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics say that 1 in 5 of every job-related fatality was someone who worked in construction.
These numbers demonstrate that construction companies fail to protect workers. As a result, workers can sustain catastrophic injuries—in many cases, in preventable accidents. Workers trust employers, believing they will abide by federal regulations to make work environments as safe as possible. Unfortunately, employers fail to do so, resulting in severe accidents. When they fail to take these necessary measures, they must be held liable for their workers' injuries.
Common Corpus Christi Construction Accidents
- Scaffolding Accidents: Scaffolding is a temporary structure that is all to often erected incorrectly, making it shaky and unsteady. Research shows that over 4,500 scaffolding accidents occur every year.
- Falling from a Height: Unfortunately, it is common for workers to suffer injuries after falling from an elevation, such as a roof, ladder, or scaffolding. OSHA reported that 660 fatalities occurred because of falling in 2014.
- Ladder Accidents: Ladder accidents commonly occur because the wrong ladder was used, it was in poor condition, or it was misused. OSHA statistics show that more than 24,000 related injuries and 35 related deaths occur annually.
- Defective & Dangerous Equipment: Complex machinery is common in construction sites, and serious injuries can occur if it is not properly used or if it is defective. For this reason, workers need to receive proper training.
- Harmful Chemicals & Toxic Exposure: Construction workers are also at risk of exposure to harmful chemicals that can cause workers to suffer skin and throat irritation, burns, respiratory problems, and more.
The "Fatal Four" Construction Accidents
OSHA conducts an annual report to determine the most common construction accidents. Out of all the injuries that occur annually, OSHA identified the most common fatalities—known as the "Fatal Four."
The Fatal Four includes the following:
- Falls: 39.9% of total construction fatalities
- Struck by Object: 8.4% of total construction fatalities
- Electrocution: 8.5% of total construction fatalities
- Caught In-Between: 4.3% of total construction fatalities
Working in Corpus Christi, TX
Oil, petrochemicals, and tourism are the primary drivers of the Corpus Christi economy. The Port of Corpus Christi, the fifth largest in the U.S., also plays a significant role in the city’s economy. The biggest employer by workforce size is the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, which employs about 6,200 civilians.
Other top Corpus Christi employers include:
Much of Corpus Christi's workforce is employed in wholesale and retail trade, services, and government. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the civilian workforce in Corpus Christi was 204,500 people as of March 2022.
The top five employment sectors in Corpus Christi in March 2022 were:
- Government: 34,800 employees
- Trade, Transportation & Utilities: 33,300 employees
- Education & Health Services: 30,700 employees
- Leisure & Hospitality: 26,500 employees
- Mining, Logging & Construction: 9,300 employees
Corpus Christi Links & Resources
Contact Our Corpus Christi Work Accident Lawyers: (888) 493-1629
If you have suffered in a work accident, you have the right to seek compensation. When you need an attorney, turn to the lawyers injured workers rely on during the most challenging circumstances of their lives: Arnold & Itkin. We are known as one of the nation's foremost litigators and worker advocates because our firm has won some of its most prominent work accident cases, helping hundreds of employees and contractors get the money they need to move forward.
When employers don't protect workers, we demand they provide answers. Call (888) 493-1629 to request your free, confidential consultation.
