Most Dangerous Jobs in U.S.

Most Dangerous Jobs in U.S.

The latest list of the Most Dangerous Jobs in the U.S. has been published, and it does show some changes. Jobs such as Construction Workers (#17), Wielders (#30), Police Officers (#16) and Iron/Steel Workers (#8) no longer hold the top tiers-which is great news. It means these physically demanding jobs are becoming safer thanks to new technology. However, the positions at the top of the list are jobs that remain physically demanding; jobs such as Logging (#1), Fishers (#2-think Deadliest Catch), Garbage Collectors/Recyclable Collectors (#5) and Roofers (#4).

Solid waste industry workers can be injured or killed if they are struck by vehicles or other mobile equipment, involved in a crash or other motor vehicle incident, or caught in or compressed by equipment or objects. They work outdoors in all kinds of weather and are at risk of injury from lifting materials. They can also be exposed to microorganisms, chemicals such as hydrogen sulfide, diesel exhaust, and other airborne contaminants at landfills.

Workers employed by a local lumber company (like 84 Lumber or Mid South Lumbar) or a national company (like Georgia Pacific) are not surprised to see their profession so high on the list. Lumber Mills can be dangerous places, and the work is long and heavy.

Roofers and their families know that you do heavy work at heights and in hot conditions which take a toll on your body. I can’t imagine huffing up and down a 15 foot ladder with a 50 pound utility belt and holding other tools on a 100 degree day in Alabama.

For the majority of workers in these industries we have represented, immediately following their job accident the worker did not file an accident report with his employer as pulled muscles or sprain are part of the job, and the injured worker does not want to report every pulled muscle and get a reputation as someone who can’t deal with a little pain. Only after a day or two (or weeks) of trying to deal with a pain that simply will not go away do they report their job injury. At this point many workers are informed by their employer that they had waited too long to report/give notice of a job injury and therefore they are not entitled to any workers’ compensation benefits. This is rarely true.

While it is true that according to Ala.Code §25-5-78, an injured workers is supposed to provide written notice of a workplace injury within 5 days of the on-the-job injury, this section goes on to state that, in Alabama, a worker has up to 90 days in which to inform his employer about a job injury, and an oral report is just as valid a notice means as a detailed written report. Company policy cannot override law, so if your employer states that “…company policy mandates that all workers’ compensation injuries be reported within 2 days of the occurrence of said injury and since you did not do so you are not eligible for workers’ compensation benefits ” (which many injured workers have called to tell us over the years)-they are misinformed about Alabama’s Workers’ Compensation laws and they are still responsible for your medical care and compensation.

If you have suffered a job injury and you have been told that you waited to long to report a job injury, or if you have questions about your right to Alabama Workers Compensation benefits, please do not hesitate to contact and speak with one of the experienced Alabama Job Injury Lawyers at Powell and Denny today.

Powell and Denny: We Work When You Can’t

Offices in Huntsville, AL and Hoover, AL

Powell and Denny have been selected as one of the Best Law Firms by U.S. News and World Report for each of the last 6 years, have been selected as one of Birmingham’s Top Lawyers by B-Metro Magazine for the last 3 years, have been selected by The National Advocates as one of the Top 20 Workers’ Compensation Firms (plaintiffs) and Powell and Denny, P.C.-has been selected as one of the “Best of the Best” law firms by The American Registry.
Mr. Denny is AV rated by Martindale Hubbard (the highest rating possible) and Mr. Powell has been rated as Superior by The National Registry

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Most Dangerous Jobs in U.S.