A recent report from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics showed that there’s a long way to go when it comes to workplace safety. From 2015 to 2016, there was a seven percent increase in fatal injuries and, for the first time in nearly a decade, workplace fatalities surpassed 5,000. As reported by the Insurance Journal, this is the third consecutive annual increase in workplace fatalities and the largest increase since 2008.

Here’s how the statistics panned out. Of the 5,190 deaths reported in 2016, transportation incidents were the leading cause of death, followed by workplace violence. There were increases in fatalities from exposure to harmful substances or environments (22 percent) and in deaths related to overdoses (at least 25 percent). There was also an increase in the number of overdoses.

Fatal injuries were up in various industries, too, including leisure and hospitality which, with an increase of 32 percent, reached an all-time high. The logging industry also recorded an industry high at 135.9 deaths per 100,000 workers. Protective service occupations, such as law enforcement, experienced a 32 percent increase in fatalities.

“America’s workers deserve better,” noted Loren Sweatt, deputy assistant secretary for the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). She noted that the government will use a combination of enforcement, compliance assistance, education, and training and outreach to help combat these increases.

If you or a loved one was injured in a work accident in Pennsylvania, or if a loved one was killed, there are actions you can take. Even though workers injured on the job often turn to workers’ compensation, if that injury resulted from a defective product or someone’s negligence, you may also be able to recover lost wages or medical expenses through a personal injury lawsuit.

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