A huge number of adults in America suffer from some form of lower back injury throughout their lifetime, and if you have yet to do so, you should consider yourself lucky. According to recent studies, nearly 80 percent of adults throughout the country experience a lower back injury of some kind at one point or another, totaling more than a million back injuries each year. Back injuries are incredibly common in the workplace, and make up about 20 percent of all workplace injuries, most of them in manual labor occupations.
Some occupations are statistically very likely to incur lower back injuries, such as tractor-trailer truck drivers, maintenance workers, nurses and nursing assistants, janitorial staff and freight and material handlers. If you work in any of these industries, you must be exceptionally aware of the extra risks your job presents to the health of your lower back.
Back injuries don’t just hurt workers; they are bad for employers. Not only do back injuries account for a huge number of workplace injuries, they are the second-most common reason for employees to miss work. In general, these injuries take multiple days to reach acceptable recovery, meaning more than one or two days away from work or placed on limited duty.
Regardless of the type of job you hold, there are safe practices you can use to avoid or minimize the risk of lower back injuries. Still, even when best practices are followed, accidents can still happen. If you have suffered an on-the-job injury, do not hesitate to reach out to an experienced attorney who can help protect your rights and ensure that you receive everything you need as you work toward recovery.
Source: The Good Body, “15 Shocking Back Injury Statistics,” accessed May 16, 2017
