Slipping and falling at work is a major risk for workers over 55

Knowing what risks you have at work can help you make decisions to stay safer. People working in different environments and with different personal backgrounds have different occupational risk factors.

Those who work in hospitals or retail environments may have a higher-than-average risk of experiencing violence on the job. Those who drive for a living will have an elevated risk of a car crash.

Just about anyone can slip and fall while working, which is one reason why falls are among the leading causes of injury and even death in many different industries. While anyone can fall and get hurt at work, a slip-and-fall incident on the job is far more dangerous statistically for workers who are over the age of 55.

Falls can lead to severe injuries that worsen as workers age

Sometimes, when there is an accident at work, the worker just needs first aid. There might be some cleanup necessary, but business goes back to normal almost immediately.

Other times, injuries are more severe and workers need time away to heal. Lost-time incidents are any job injuries significant enough to cause someone to miss work. A worker could be out for just a single day for medical care or even several months after a broken bone, a head injury or a spinal cord injury.

Any of those could potentially occur in a slip-and-fall, especially when the worker involved is older. Employees over the age of 55 have a higher risk of having a serious injury or broken bone when they fall. 

Falling doesn’t necessarily mean just missing a day or two of work

Falling can be fatal, and older workers are at higher risk than they were a few decades ago to suffer severe injuries or die while working. Severe falls from a height can put a worker’s life at risk, but so too can injuries suffered from a fall at the same height, such as a slip-and-fall. Trauma, bleeding and infection could all lead to very unfavorable outcomes for older workers who fall on the job.

Sometimes, even if recovery is possible, it means missing months of work and undergoing extensive physical therapy. Applying for workers’ compensation benefits could replace some of your unearned wages and also cover the medical care you require after a slip and fall on the job.