The 2019 Dirty Dozen

The AFL-CIO published its “Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect” annual report that describes dangerous working conditions and shares federal and state data regarding worker illnesses, injuries, and fatalities for 2017. The report showed work-related fatality statistics, including a rate of 10.3 per every 100,000 workers aged 65 and up, 5,147 worker deaths, and 95,000 deaths due to occupational illnesses. The AFL-CIO President claimed that these numbers indicate a nationwide crisis.

The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health also published its annual Dirty Dozen, which names companies they believe put workers and communities at risk. The list is based on information from health and safety professionals, occupational clinics, and unions.

Companies that Made the List

The Dirty Dozen companies include:

• Amazon
• Atlantic Capes Fisheries
• Bedrock Detroit
• Beiza Brothers Harvesting
• Facebook and Accenture, Cognizant, ProUnlimited and Tech Solutions
• Genan
• Integra Health Management, Inc.
• Johns Hopkins Hospital
• McDonald’s USA
• Purdue Pharma and the Opioid Industry
• Tooma Enterprises
• XPO Logistics

Amazon had 13 worker deaths since 2013, six of which were in a seven-month time period. At Johns Hopkins, four out of five nurses claimed to be victimized by workplace violence, and one of four said that these events were ignored. Purdue Pharma is accused of targeting employees with workplace injuries and their physicians to increase sales of Purdue’s painkillers.

Worker Fatalities

The Dirty Dozen publication also looked at what employers are doing to prevent workplace fatalities, which increased approximately 11 percent from 2012. The deaths were due to jobsite trauma or long-term exposure, the latter of which can lead to circulatory and respiratory diseases, and cancer. Many of the deaths are attributed to inadequate safety programming, not enough safety inspectors, and insufficient funding. High-risk populations for these fatalities include contract employees, immigrant workers, and Latin workers. The report stated that almost every one of the fatalities were preventable.

Proposed Legislation

There are currently three bills in Congress to improve workplace safety. HR 1309 proposes that social service and health care employers have violence prevention plans. S 1082 aims to eliminate non-disclosure agreements and mandatory arbitration and will make harassment prevention strategies mandatory for employers. HR 1074 would update the Occupational Safety and Health Act by amending whistleblower protection for workers that report unsafe working conditions. It would also increase penalties for more serious violations and extend coverage to local and state employees.

Cherry Hill Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at DiTomaso Law Fight for Injured Employees

Workplace injuries and illnesses can be traumatic, but you do not have to face them alone. Contact the knowledgeable Cherry Hill Workers’ Compensation lawyers at DiTomaso Law today. For a free consultation, fill out an online form or call us at 856-414-0010. Located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, we serve clients throughout South Jersey, including Cherry Hill, Mt. Holly, and Camden County.