Worker Deaths Rise In Texas During 2009

The 2009 Texas worker fatality statistics have been announced for 2009, and the news is not good. Last year, the worker fatality rate in Texas rose 3.6 percent, with 480 people dying in on-the-job accidents across the state.

Many authorities have tied this new worker injury information with the recent recession and national economic troubles, saying that it would be no surprise if companies in Texas were cutting corners to save money when it comes to keeping their workers safe. Safety training might be seen as too expensive, while worn out or broken safety equipment might not be replaced as quickly as when companies were pulling larger profits.

Whatever the cause of the high rate of worker deaths in Texas, everyone should be working to make job conditions safer and better. Many point out that since Texas is the only state in the nation not to require employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance, we are not only leaving some workers without support after an injury, we are also encouraging companies who want to avoid the insurance to move here.