07.26.11
Montana Worst in U.S. for Workplace Deaths
Published in NewWest.Net (By Kate Schwab)
The Rocky Mountain states remain among the most dangerous in the nation for workers, according to the AFL-CIO, which tracks job-related deaths.
Montana’s taken the top slot for workplace fatalities in 2010, averaging 10.8 deaths per 100,000 workers. Next up and tied for second are Louisiana and North Dakota at 7.2, followed by Wyoming in fourth at 6.8.
Workplace injuries cost Montana businesses roughly $145 million annually, according to SafeMT, a workplace safety site operated by the Montana State Fund. As the state’s official workers compensation insurance option, SafeMT offers industry-specific hazard data and tips to help companies come up with a plan for their own in-house safety programs.
A calculator on the SafeMT website estimates the state has actually lost $373 million because of on-the-job injuries in the past two and a half years.
What’s not so clear is the cause. Montana is home to a significant number of traditionally risky industries, including logging, mining and agriculture. Nationally, agriculture is considered the most dangerous industry; hazards include uncooperative livestock, all-terrain vehicles, heavy equipment and chemical exposure combined with working in remote and rugged areas. But the state says the data show a problem with worker safety across the board.
Young workers ages 16 to 24 tend to be the ones to get hurt. They’re key players in the retail, food service, construction and ranching industries. Nearly 1,000 Montana workers under 25 are injured on the job every year. And most of them are injured within a month of starting a new job. Inexperience, lack of familiarity with the equipment, inadequate supervision, drowsiness from balancing employment and educational obligations and personal pride are all culprits.
State law requires businesses to provide a new-hire orientation program that covers safety considerations before employees begin work. Companies are supposed to provide refresher courses on a routine basis, as well as assess potential hazards and review safety procedures at least once a year. And employers with more than five employees must not only investigate accidents, but also establish a safety committee that convenes a minimum of three times a year.
Lack of accountability may be one factor affecting not only the region, but also the nation. Since 1970, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been responsible for establishing and enforcing job site safety and health standards for American workers. (A separate agency, MSHA, governs mining.) Calling the present level of OSHA oversight “woefully inadequate,” the AFL-CIO report noted that only 2,218 OSHA inspectors, including both federal and state employees, are available to keep watch on 8 million businesses nationwide. That equates to one inspector for every 57,984 workers. Most businesses cannot be inspected routinely with that level of manpower; the report claims federal inspectors get around to the average business once every 129 years, and state inspectors average about half that time.
Nationwide, flagrant safety violations by companies themselves rose by 15.3 percent in the past five years, but “serious violations” are tracking at a higher rate—22.1 percent—and incidents chalked up as “willful violations” have skyrocketed to 217.1 percent. Citations are most commonly given for issues related to scaffolding, ladders, machine guards, falls, electrical wiring, tagout procedures, trucks, hazard communication and respiratory safety.
OSHA employees investigated 804 deaths and performed 40,993 inspections last year, according to the agency’s annual report.
If you or a loved one is involved in a workplace injury in Montana, including a mine or oilfield, contact Heenan Law Firm to receive a free copy of John Heenan’s new book “Your Rights: The Ultimate Guide to Injury Victim’s Rights in Montana” www.heenanlawfirm.com