Sep 15, 2015 | admin
The city of Washington, D.C., employees thousands of workers, but being a Metro employee can also come with certain safety risks. A new report from NBC Washington examines some of the most recent and common workplace accidents that have affected the safety and health of Metro workers.
Public records indicate that a total of 19 Metro workers were injured during the incident that occurred earlier this year at L’Enfant Plaza, in which a train and tunnel filled with smoke. Each suffered respiratory conditions and one police officer has still not fully recovered. That individual is currently receiving workers’ compensation benefits while another worker remains on light duty.
Exposure to toxic fumes may have injured dozens of workers during the L’Enfant Plaza incident; however, data indicates slip and fall accidents are the leading causes of work-related injuries involving city employees in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
The most disturbing causes of injury reported by Metro workers were acts of violence. Police officers often report being injured attempting to apprehend suspects and many bus drivers are injured when they are assaulted by passengers attempting to board their bus without paying the fare.
With so many workers being injured, our legal staff at CHASENBOSCOLO believes being aware of the risks you face while working is the first step towards creating a safer work environment; however, we also know it’s important for employees in both the public and private sectors to be aware of their rights to a safe and healthy work environment in the event an accident does occur. You can learn more about the options and resources a workers’ compensation attorney can provide by visiting our website.
