Mississippi Sanitation Worker Hit by Car Highlights Dangers Sanitation Workers Face on the Job

A Hattiesburg, Mississippi sanitation worker was involved in a workplace accident this week. According to local reports, on Wednesday, January 25, a Hattiesburg, Mississippi sanitation worker was struck and injured by a vehicle while on route. The accident is spreading awareness about the dangers that sanitation workers face on the job every day.

“It’s just not the cars and stuff like that…you have environmental hazards, you have animals that can get you at any time,” De’Lorean Varnado, a Hattiesburg sanitation worker, said of the hazards on the job. The statistics support Varnado’s concerns: sanitation work is ranked among the top ten most dangerous jobs for civilian workers when it comes to fatal work injury rates.

When it comes to how sanitation workers can keep themselves and each other safer, Varnado says, “You have to be prepared when you’re jumping off the back of the truck to not just look out for yourself, but look out for the other person that’s on the other side.” However, the general public can also do its part to help sanitation workers have safer jobs. Nkrumah Frazier, Hattiesburg Sanitation Division Manager encourages the public to “Be very, very cautious and careful when you are driving in an area where workers are beside the road…Those trucks stop frequently, and a distracted driver could easily impact the rear of a garbage truck.” In addition to paying better attention to sanitation workers who are on route, the general public can also help keep sanitation workers safer by being careful about what they throw in the garbage for collection. Hazardous materials can lead to sanitation worker injuries if substances explode in the truck or they are exposed to toxic chemicals.

Help for Injured Workers in Mississippi

Something else that Mississippi workers should know when it comes to workplace injuries is about their rights and entitlement to Mississippi workers’ compensation benefits. In Mississippi, most workers who are injured on the job and who are disabled from working are entitled to important workers’ compensation benefits, such as wage replacement compensation, medical expense reimbursement, vocational rehabilitation training, and other benefits under Mississippi laws. In order to determine whether your workplace injury may qualify for Mississippi workers’ compensation benefits, it is best to speak with an experienced Mississippi worker’s compensation lawyer about your rights and options as soon as possible.

A Law Firm that Fights for Mississippi Workers

If you were injured at work in Mississippi and you are interested in finding out about your entitlement to workers’ compensation benefits, contact the experienced Mississippi workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC. The experienced Mississippi workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC offer a free and confidential consultation to learn about your case and to see if they can help fight to get you Mississippi workers’ compensation benefits due. Contact the experienced Mississippi workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC today and speak to a lawyer about your rights and options for free.

Source:

wdam.com/2024/01/25/sanitation-worker-safety-comes-forefront-after-accident/