Getting injured on the job can be a stressful event. Some injuries, such as hearing loss, back pain or carpal tunnel syndrome, take a long time to develop. Other injuries including brain trauma, broken bones and burns can happen in the blink of an eye. Depending on the extent of a person’s injury, they may be out of work for days, weeks or even permanently.
While any worker can get hurt on the job, there are five jobs that were recently examined in a Metro column and identified as some of the most dangerous in New York. Workers in these five industries are among those who confront unusually dangerous situations on a regular basis.
Transportation jobs are among those that are quite dangerous in New York. In particular, cab drivers and MTA workers were named as some of those who often get injured on the job. Subway workers can be electrocuted by a live rail or hit by a train. Cab drivers are also at risk on the job. They have been beaten up, robbed and can get involved in car crashes while working.
Construction jobs are also very dangerous in New York. Workers digging through bedrock and building skyscrapers can be put in unsafe conditions. From broken bones to injuries from falling construction materials to burns from explosions, building and reconstructing structures in the city have proven to be risky jobs.
Finally and perhaps unsurprisingly, members of the NYPD bomb squad face an unusually high level of risk every time they head into work. Working with the dismantling of potentially explosive materials on a regular basis obviously puts these workers in serious danger.
Even if people are not working with bombs or in the construction of a 60-story building, every job presents at least some risk of injury. It is important for workers in any industry to realize that there are state and federal laws regarding workers’ compensation that govern the compensation that is available to employees who are hurt on the job. The lost wages, medical bills and ongoing care requirements can all add up very quickly. Workers’ compensation benefits can be crucial for employees who are unable to work temporarily or permanently because of a work-related injury.
Source: Metro, Most dangerous industries in New York City
