Mobile Personal Injury Lawyer - On-the-Job Injuries

Crane Operator Injured in Worksite Accident

Chrissie Cole — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:35:06 GMT

An Omaha crane operator suffered on the job injuries, in a construction accident, when the 140,000 pound crane he was on slipped down an embankment and into the Papio Creek trapping him inside the cab.

The worker was trapped for almost an hour. Firefighters were able to release him from the cab with the Jaws of Life, according to the Omaha Fire Department.

He was treated for hypothermia and is listed at Nebraska Medical Center in fair condition.

After an initial investigation, it appears slippery pads on the crane may have been a contributing factor to the accident. It took crews nearly all day to lift the crane out of the water.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Study says weight affects risk of worksite injury

Staff Writer — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 13:07:48 GMT

A workplace injury study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Center for Injury Research and Policy says that obesity can increase the risk of a worksite injury.

Published in May 2007, in the American Journal of Epidemiology, the study's findings show that a body mass index (BMI) in the obese category significantly raises the possibilities for trauma injuries on the job.

Of the 7,690 workers included in the study, 29 percent were injured at least once between January 2, 2002, and December 31, 2004. Approximately 85 percent of the injured workers were classified as overweight or obese.

The findings of these studies may encourage more companies to implement obesity prevention programs and incentives for employees.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Hispanic group promotes workplace safety

Staff Writer — Thu, 10 May 2007 10:01:28 GMT

The Birmingham News reported last week that a team of Hispanic business owners and contractors has come together to create the Association of Hispanic Contractors to help improve workplace safety in the area.

The group of 55 seeks to lower workplace injuries.

"Our focus is on education and safety," said Martinez, president of the new group. "Safety in our community is a big issue and with us being Hispanic, our organization can play a big role in educating workers."
Representatives of the Alabama chapters of Associated General Contractors and Associated Builders & Contractors, two national trade groups whose members include several large Birmingham-based construction firms, said they plan to work closely with the new group.
"The more the merrier. You can't do too much on safety," said Bill Caton, spokesman for Associated General Contractors in Birmingham. "Jose is a member of AGC and just as we work with the BCIA (Birmingham Construction Industry Authority) to help minority firms, we want to do some joint projects with this new Hispanic group."

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

North Carolina man dies of injuries

Staff Writer — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:52:41 GMT

The Fayette Observer reported that a man crushed by a backhoe at a gravel pit died from his worksite injuries.

As he was operating the backhoe on the job at his family's gravel pit, it slid off an embankment and flipped onto him. He was sadly crushed, and died about one week later.

Many workplace injuries occur each year, sometimes because of worker mistakes and sometimes because the right policies are not in place. OSHA continues to work hard with companies to improve workplace safety.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Will slope shelving prevent workplace injuries?

Staff Writer — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 10:01:49 GMT

A news release from A Plus Warehouse on PR Web promoting their new slope schelving storage cabinets says that the product could help prevent more back and hand injuries in warehouses.

The American Society of Safety Engineers has apparently endorsed this type of shelving, which allows workers to inspect products without picking everyone of them up. This could eliminate many of the hand and back injuries that often occur among employees, and often bring expensive claims.

"Product movement and storage pose risk to all employees," said Ed Stairman, president of A Plus Warehouse. "The slope shelving we sell improves safety and productivity by making products more visible and accessible."

While the shelves may eliminate some of the lifting involved, it is still important for companies to train their employees in proper lifting techniques to minimize stress on the back and hands.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Protecting immigrant labor from injuries growing concern

Staff Writer — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 11:35:24 GMT

An Associated Press story last week addresses the growing problem of workplace injuries among immigrant workers who may speak little or no English.

With more immigrant labor entering the construction and landscaping business, proper safety training is becoming an issue. A number of companies are failing to adequately train their non-English speaking workers, and injuries among them are on the rise.

Delaware's Delmarva Safety Association (DSA) has decided to team up with the state's Department of Labor to offer two workshops to employers on making their workplaces safe for workers who don't speak English. The workshops are targeted at the construction and landscaping industries.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Hispanics accounted for about 6 percent of the 4,360 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in Delaware resulting in lost work days in 2004. But they accounted for 15 percent of incidents in the construction and excavation industries, and equal percentages of hand-tool injuries and falls to lower levels.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

OSHA requires employers to post injuries

Staff Writer — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:36:57 GMT

Each year on Feb. 1, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to post the total number of work-related injuries and illnesses their employees experienced during the previous year.

Employers are required to post OSHA Form 300A from Feb. 1 through April 30, 2007, with a summary of all the worksite injuries and illnesses their exployees had during 2006.

A news release posted on insurancenewsnet.com details the requirements as set forth by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit a href" http://www.osha.gov">http://www.osha.gov/a>.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Physical Therapy groups offer employment screens

Staff Writer — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:51:06 GMT

Many Physical Therapy groups offer services to employers to screen potential employees for their physical abilities to perform certain jobs or tasks. This service can help prevent worksite injuries and save the companies money.

An article about First Choice Physical Therapy in North Dakota provides a good example of this. The give post-offer employee tests for jobs that have certain lifting or other physcial requirements. They also administer fitness tests and heartrate monitors to ensure the employees have the physical capabilities to handle certain jobs safely.

"Using a post-offer employment screen decreases the likelihood of injuries, in turn lowering worker compensation, and increases productivity ensuring workers can do the work and last at the job," Argent said. "We will come out to a business to see what their needs are and go from there."

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

U.S. Capitol now a smoke-free workplace

Staff Writer — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 09:07:02 GMT

New House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced yesterday a new smoke-free policy for the Speaker's Lobby, a meeting area near the Floor of the House of Representatives. Speaker Pelosi's historic action follows a nation-wide trend toward making workplaces smoke-free.

Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights (ANR) and newpapers across the nation reported on this story:

"As Members of Congress, we must be held to a higher standard," Pelosi said in a statement. "We can no longer risk the health of colleagues, staff, pages, reporters and others who pass through the Speaker's Lobby each day."

According to the ANR, more than half of the U.S. population lives in areas where local or state laws ensure smoke-free workplaces and public areas. They say more than 577 municipalities and 22 states now have smoke-free workplace laws.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

OSHA fines companies for fall hazards

Staff Writer — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 16:18:00 GMT

A report today on OccupationalHazards.com said that OSHA fined two contractors in Massachusetts for exposing their employees to fall hazards at residential construction sites. Many worksite fatalities in the construction industry occur because of falls.

"Falls are the No. 1 killer in construction," said Francis Pagliuca, OSHA's area director for Middlesex and Essex counties. "Workers' lives are needlessly placed at risk when effective fall protection is absent. While it's fortunate that no one was killed at these worksites, the potential for death or disabling injuries was real and present."

The companies fined are Shawnlee Construction LLC and Miranda Construction.

If you or someone you know has experienced a worksite injury, it may be in your best interest to contact a personal injury attorney for a free case evaluation.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer