Worcester, the “Heart of the Commonwealth,” is a city in the Worcester County of Massachusetts. Worcester was named after Worcester, England. At the time of the 2010 Census, the population was 181,045, and according to the American Community Survey 5-Year Estimate, it had grown to 182,511. Worcester is the second largest city in all of New England.
Worcester and the surrounding towns and cities in Massachusetts employ 249,630 workers. Of all of the occupational sectors in this region, the two largest are Transportation and Material Moving Occupations, employing 15,350 workers, and Production Occupations, employing 17,090 workers. This includes 4,330 laborers and freight, stock, and material movers. Other occupations in these sectors include:
- Team assemblers (1,950 employed workers)
- Machinists (1,080 employed workers)
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (3,410 employed workers)
- Packers and Packagers (1,750 employed workers)
Worcester Workers May Be At Risk
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released a report in 2014 on occupational injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work with very disturbing statistics. For example: heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers and laborers and freight, stock, and material movers each had more than 50,000 injuries and illnesses nationwide. In addition, the incidence rate for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers increased to 355.4 cases per 10,000 full-time workers, an increase from the previous year. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers had a 4 percent increase in the number of injuries and illnesses with days away from work in 2014. Clearly, workers in these occupations face risks at work each day.
Were You Hurt At Work?
There are many causes of injury and illness at work, and many of the most common causes are due to unavoidable risks and hazards. According to a news release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, falls, slips, and/or trips accounted for 27 percent of workplace injuries and illnesses in 2014, with 316,650 injuries that resulted in time away from work at an incidence rate of 29.3. The rate of falls on the same level in private industry increased to 16.6 in 2014, up from 15.4 in 2013. In transportation and warehousing the rate of falls on the same level increased from 28.3 in 2013 to 30.4 in 2014, the second year in a row with an increase in this industry.
A Worcester Workers’ Compensation Attorney Can Help
Did you slip and fall or otherwise get injured at work? A workers’ compensation attorney, one with years of experience fighting for workers’ rights, can help you to get the benefits you deserve. The attorneys at Keches Law Group know how stressful it can be to worry about how you will manage to pay your medical bills, let alone other bills, and we can help put your mind at ease. Don’t hesitate to call as soon as you are injured.
If you’ve been hurt at work, don’t wait; schedule your free consultation with a Keches Law Group attorney today. Call us at 617-898-0808, or visit our website and chat with us online.