Women Are at Risk for Assault-Based Workplace Injuries

We would like to think that our workplaces are safe, but sometimes workers in Peoria are injured on the job due to the actions of another. Assault is, unfortunately, a significant cause of workplace injuries, and one that Illinois employees and employers should take seriously.

Per a National Safety Council analysis, the number of women assaulted while on the job saw a 60 percent increase from the number of women assaulted in 2011. In 2017, 12,820 women suffered assault-related injuries while on the job. In comparison, 5,530 men suffered such injuries on the job that year. Women suffered 70 percent of assault injuries in 2017.

In addition to assault, women suffered 59 percent of injuries that were accidental by someone else in the workplace, 57 percent of fall-based injuries and 61 percent of ergonomic injuries. The type of work performed also impacted the number of women who suffered non-fatal injuries and illnesses on the job. For example, women working in the health care industry constituted 80 percent of the number of injuries and illnesses in the workplace that did not result in death. That percentage sat at 61 percent for women working in the education sector and 60 percent for women in management, business or financial positions.

As this shows, the types and frequencies of injuries women can suffer in the workplace may be different than those men face. However, anyone injured in the workplace should know that they may be able to pursue workers’ compensation benefits. If their claim is successful, it may be possible for them to obtain compensation for health care costs and missed time at work.