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When we hear about dangerous workplaces, most of us imagine heavy industrial environments, building sites and so on. But other, more benign-sounding workplaces produce their fair share of accident reports. 

Insurance provider AmTrust has produced a Retail Risk Report, an analysis of over 20,000 workers’ compensation insurance claims made over 3 years, up to 2018.

The data makes interesting reading. The most dangerous retail occupation? Being a butchery store counter worker. Meat counters and markets are prone to wet surfaces and floors. Work is carried out with sharp knives and saws. Now you mention it, it’s not hard to see how accidents might happen. 

Hardware store workers and automobile parts/accessories employees come in second and third place respectively, while number four in the list might come as a surprise – hairdressing. But think for a moment about the average salon – chemical hair dyes, wet floors, scissors and razors. They all carry risks. For hairdressers, the motions involved in cutting and styling hair for several hours a day can trigger painful and debilitating upper limb repetitive strain injuries. 

The point of the report is to encourage employers to prioritize occupational safety and reduce the risk of accidents. Analyzing the data across all workplace injuries, workers are absent for an average of 24 days, post-accident. From an employer’s perspective, the math is simple. Workplace injuries = loss of labor and taking a financial hit. 

From the injured person’s point of view, an accident means possibly not being able to keep up payments on credit agreements, rent or the mortgage. It can mean worrying about bills – medical, grocery and utility. That’s all on top of dealing with the pain of the injury itself, along with any psychological effects. 

The message is loud and clear. A safe working environment works better for everyone.  

If you need to make a Worker’s Compensation Claim, you need an attorney on board right away who knows every single hoop that must be jumped through, and how high. Claims are complex and time-sensitive: getting it wrong can mean losing some or all of your rights. 

Need advice? We have a comprehensive Workers’ Compensation Resource Library on the Bighorn website as a go-to guide, and we’re always here to talk when you need us. Your Bighorn Law attorney will treat you with compassion and respect at every stage and pursue justice for you with aggressive expertise. 

Occupational health and safety improves all the time, but until everyone has a safe, risk-free workplace, there’s Bighorn Law.