Although people in Fort Collins may think that the majority of fatal accidents occur in jobs like firefighting or law enforcement, job-safety data indicates that these jobs are actually much safer than many people may assume. Instead, 41 percent of on-the-job deaths happen in transportation industries. This is the highest group of fatal workplace injuries in the country and the second-highest cause, assaults and violent acts, is a distant second, comprising only 18 percent of all deaths.
It is really not that surprising that the transportation industry is so hard hit with fatal workplace accidents. There are numerous truck accidents happening in Colorado throughout the year, and while we may not initially think of it, those are considered workplace accidents. Moreover, transportation accidents include more than just car and truck crashes, but also injuries sustained by people in the airline industries.
Still, 58 percent of all transportation accidents happen on land. And just because an accident happens within the transportation field doesn’t mean that someone is in a crash or he or she is run over by a vehicle. Rather, airplane pilots tend to be victims of falling objects or machinery problems.
It is tragic when a family loses a loved one in an on-the-job accident, but they can also turn to Colorado workers’ compensation benefits to help get past some of the financial difficulties associated with a family member’s death. Death and dependency benefits help family members do what is truly important after a sudden loss — mourn and grieve — and prevent them from worrying about how they will survive without that loved one’s income.
Source: Forbes, “America’s 10 Deadliest Jobs,” Jacquelyn Smith, Aug. 22, 2013
