Popular Dangerous Workplaces in Fayetteville, Arkansas
As the second-largest city in Arkansas, Fayetteville is home to almost 100,000 people. And with a relatively low unemployment rate of two percent, most Fayetteville residents work in or around the city. Although Fayetteville has a long history of being a hard-working city with a variety of different industries, there are still several dangerous workplaces.
At the Law Office of Jason Hatfield, P.A., our dedicated Fayetteville workers’ compensation lawyers have decades of experience helping injured workers recover the benefits they need to recover from their injuries and get their lives back on track. We understand the frustration that naturally comes with being injured on the job and understand what it takes to present a compelling claim for benefits to ensure your claim receives the attention it deserves.
What Are the Largest Employers in Fayetteville, AR?
According to the most recently available data from 2020, the following are the top employers in Fayetteville:
1. University of Arkansas (Education)
2. Washington Regional Medical Center (Healthcare)
3. Walmart (Retail)
4. Fayetteville School District (Education)
5. Veterans Administration Medical (Healthcare)
6. City of Fayetteville (Government)
7. APAC Central, Inc. (Building Materials)
8. Pinnacle Foods (Food Processing)
9. Tyson Foods (Food Processing)
10. Washington County Government (Government)
What Are the Most Dangerous Workplaces in Fayetteville, Arkansas?
The reality is employees in every industry, at every position, can experience a workplace accident. However, certain jobs present a higher risk of injury than others. For example, looking at the list of top Fayetteville employers above, it’s pretty clear that many of the jobs at these facilities put workers in a position where they can get hurt.
For example, Tyson Foods is headquartered just a few miles from Fayetteville city limits and employs just under 1,000 Fayetteville residents. However, poultry processing is known to be an extremely dangerous industry for workers due to the various hazards that workers must confront. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration explains that “[t]here are many serious safety and health hazards in the poultry processing industry… [including] exposure to high noise levels, dangerous equipment, slippery floors, musculoskeletal disorders, and hazardous chemicals (including ammonia that is used as a refrigerant).”
Similarly, two of the top ten employers in Fayetteville are in the healthcare sector. And while not all healthcare jobs are equally dangerous, some healthcare workers face very dangerous working conditions. According to OSHA, healthcare workers may encounter the following incidents while working a shift:
- Bloodborne pathogens and biological hazards,
- Chemical and drug exposure,
- Anesthetic gas exposures,
- Respiratory hazards,
- Ergonomic hazards from lifting and repetitive tasks,
- Laser hazards,
- Workplace violence,
- Hazards associated with laboratories, and
- Radioactive material and x-ray hazards.
Of course, Fayetteville has a number of other potentially hazardous workplaces that don’t make the list of the top employers in the city. For example, the following worksites are common in Fayetteville and pose serious risks to workers:
- Construction sites,
- Warehouses,
- Roofing contractors and companies,
- Landscaping contractors and companies, and
- Auto repair shops and mechanics.
Regardless of the type of industry you work in or your specific job title, if you’ve been hurt in an on-the-job accident, you may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Seeking medical treatment and speaking with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney as soon as possible is crucial to obtaining the compensation you deserve.
What Is the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Program?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Arkansas has one of the highest rates of worker injury. As of the most recently available information from 2021, more than 26,000 employees experienced a workplace accident. These accidents resulted in more than 11,000 employees missing at least one day of work or requiring transfer to another position.
These accidents often result in a worker requiring serious medical care, which takes them out of the workforce, at least temporarily. However, due to the realities all workers must face, convincing an employer to give you time off so you can heal isn’t always easy. And, unless you happen to have excellent health insurance, a workplace injury can also end up costing you thousands of dollars.
Rather than take on the physical, emotional, and financial burden of a workplace accident yourself, you can file an Arkansas workers’ compensation claim. The workers’ compensation program is a no-fault system that allows injured workers to file a claim with their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier to obtain benefits. The benefits payable to successful applicants vary, depending on their income and the seriousness of their injuries; however, they typically include payment for both medical expenses and lost wages. And because you don’t need to prove that your employer or anybody else was at fault to bring a workers’ compensation claim, it limits the situations in which an employer’s insurance company can deny coverage.
To qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, you must experience a work-related injury, disability, or illness. Almost all on-the-job accidents qualify. However, proving workers’ compensation eligibility is harder for illnesses, conditions, and diseases because these can have various causes, some of which may have nothing to do with your employment. An experienced Fayetteville workers’ compensation lawyer at the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield can help injured workers understand their rights and effectively pursue the benefits they deserve.
Speak with an Experienced Fayetteville Workers’ Compensation Attorney About Your Injuries Today
If you were recently injured or developed a serious medical condition that you believe was related to your employment, reach out to the knowledgeable Fayetteville workers’ compensation lawyers at the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A. At the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, our lawyers possess a deep understanding of the Arkansas workers’ compensation laws and what it will take to get you the benefits you need to get your life back on track after an accident. We represent injured workers across Northwest Arkansas, including but not limited to Springdale, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Rogers, Bentonville, Berryville, and Harrison. To learn more and to schedule a free consultation with an Arkansas workers’ comp attorney today, call (479) 361-3575. You can also reach us through our online contact form.