Where a person works, and what job they perform can have a significant impact on an individual’s risk of injury. Some professions carry inherent dangers that can be mitigated, but not entirely avoided. In 2014, the Bureau of Labor Statistics records show that 4,679 workers lost their lives while performing their jobs. Nearly half, or 1,891, were because of transportation-related accidents.
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Are Hands-Free Devices Truly a Ticket to Safer Driving?
Hands-free devices have long been hailed as a safer alternative to holding a cell phone while driving. However, recent research into the subject seems to suggest that hands-free devices are no safer than just talking on the phone while operating a vehicle. In fact, they may actually contribute to more accidents because they allow drivers to be complacent about talking on the phone while driving.
Restaurants, whether full service or fast food, are jammed with heat-producing equipment and a range of potentially dangerous situations. Ovens, fryers, food warmers, stoves and coffee makers cause a high percentage of reported restaurant employee injuries. Cleavers, knives and other sharp objects are tools of the trade and can result in severe lacerations. Floors made slippery by spilled liquids, grease and water are frequent occurrences in busy restaurant kitchens or dining rooms. Exposure to cleaning chemicals and hot oils can result in severe eye and skin injuries.
It can happen anytime whether it’s the heat of a summer’s day or the freezing chill of snowy night. Emergencies have no timing, however, when the alarm bell goes off in the firehouse, the brave men and women of Chicago’s storied firehouses clamber into their trucks to protect innocent lives and property from destruction. Even as they work to save lives and livelihoods, they often put their own in jeopardy and the health risks firefighters face are plentiful. Whether it’s a fire on the 50th floor of the John Hancock Center, or a warehouse fire in Arlington Heights, Illinois firefighters have a long tradition of risking their safety to protect our communities. That courage comes at a high price to their own safety that makes firefighting one of the most dangerous jobs in the country.
Winter’s icy breath has descended upon the Great Lakes. This has increased the risks pedestrians face as they navigate city streets, parking garages, and public parks. Ice and snow, sand and salt, crumbling concrete, and potholes can all cause slips and falls. In the winter, there is no shortage of obstacles that pedestrians can find themselves tripping over. That is why pedestrians should use caution while they are walking so that they don’t experience a slip and fall accident that can derail their holiday plans.