North Carolina Workers' Compensation Lawyers Blog

broken pelvis.

The company, Zipline Adventures, reports that the employee did not clip his safety harness to the line, fell backwards off of the platform and dropped 60 feet to the ground below.

According to a spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, the accident is being investigated as a work accident instead of an amusement part ride accident. The Department typically inspects amusement rides statewide. Now, the accident could possibly be investigated by the South Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

The manager at the company says that accidents are not typically a problem at this attraction. He says that the ride actually has a perfect safety record. This is the third season of the attraction. He adds that an accident of any kind is going to reflect poorly on the company.

"Anytime you hear of any type of an accident, it makes you go back and relook at your process, make sure you're doing things as well as you can," said Robert Stinnett with the zip line company.

There are approximately 100,000 visitors to the zip line attraction each year. In three seasons, they've had no accidents that required more than a band-aid, until now.

The company will be taking its own look into the accident and will be looking at any safety issues that might need to be addressed, although they're positive that this incident was just a fluke.

Zip lines have been making headlines for the wrong reasons lately. You might remember the 24-year-old girl from Georgia who is suffering some serious and life-altering injuries after contracting a flesh-eating bacteria, aeromonas hydrophila bacteria, from a zip line attraction. She has already had one of her legs amputated and may soon require amputation of some of her fingers.

The truth of the matter is that working with any type of mountain tour business or other tourist attraction can be dangerous. Many times, these tours and attractions work to bring some excitement into participants' day. Unfortunately, this excitement can be dangerous. As an attraction company, just as with any other company, safety should be a number one priority -- for both employees and guests.

Continue reading "Zip Line Accident in Myrtle Beach Seriously Injures Attraction Employee" »

The rights to workers' compsantion benefits have been denied for one local deputy. According to Insurance Journal, he filed a workers' compensation claim in an attempt to claim benefits for mental distress that he believes was the result of an on-the-job shooting. The officer had to shoot a suspect during the course of his job. The South Carolina Supreme Court has denied the claim, saying that using that type of force on the job is expected.

A number of states recognize mental injuries as a compensatory work injury. Unfortunately, the state of South Carolina doesn't allow it, saying that compensation is only granted when the accident was out of the ordinary and unexpected on the job. In addition to these conditions, workers are also required to show extensive medical evidence that proves there's a link between the accident on the job and the mental illness or injury.

The original work incident happened back in October of 2009 when the officer was dispatched to a home in Spartanburg. He was responding to disturbance calls between residents in the area. While responding to the call, the officer shot a man who was said to have threatened his life.

After the shooting, the officer says that he suffered from both depression and anxiety. He sought treatment for these conditions. Based on his symptoms following the incident, both his psychologist and psychiatrist said that he was unable to return to the job.

In March of the following year, he filed a claim for workers' compensation benefits, but was denied. It was concluded that the shooting wasn't unusual for his line of work and that he hadn't suffered a compensable mental injury because of the accident. It was noted that this officer had received the proper training to deal with these kinds of on-the-job incidents and that the officer was aware of the fact that he could be involved in one of these incidents through his employment with the department.

The officer appealed the initial ruling to the appellate panel and then again to the Supreme Court. The officer argued his case, saying that killing a person is unusual for his job and that work stats show that these kinds of incidents only occur in the department about once a year, classifying it as an unusual work event.

He was again denied. The courts said that unusual work accidents are determined by their conditions and not by their frequency.

This decision has shined light on a new idea, urging South Carolina lawmakers to look into "updating" the state's requirements on mental benefits. Lawmakers are being urged to take into account the scientific and technological progress in medicine and psychology.

Mental disorders can be the result of many work conditions, even some that are less stressful than an officer's. If you feel that you've suffered a mental disorder or illness because of an incident you experienced at work, call an attorney to help you to fight for the compensation that you deserve.

Continue reading "Officer Denied Workers' Compensation Following Work Incident" »

Officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are so concerned with the safety of our young workers that they've dedicated an entire webpage to this vulnerable group. It's called "Young Workers: You Have Rights!"

Employers are required under federal law to make sure that all employees are provided with a safe and healthy work place. To achieve these standards, employers are required to make sure that they follow all of OSHA's safety and health standards. For workers under the age of 18, employers are required to follow specific rules regarding how many hours teens can work, what kind of equipment they're allowed to use and what kind of work they're allowed to do.

Our Greensboro workers' compensation attorneys understand that young workers have rights and we need to make sure that these rights are protected! These young workers have a right to a safe work place, to receive the proper training for the job they're asked to complete, to be able to ask questions if they don't understand instructions or if something seems unsafe, to use, be trained and to be offered the proper safety gear and to also exercise their workplace safety rights without the fear or retaliation or discrimination. Our teen workers are urged to file a confidential complaint with OSHA if they think that there is a hazard on the job or if they feel that their employer is not following federal safety standards.

You might want to also offer your teen with some safety tips for how to protect themselves on the job. They're urged to report any and all unsafe conditions to a shift leader or supervisor, to wear any safety gear that is required to complete the job, to follow any and all safety rules, to ask questions if something is not understood and to ask for help whenever it's needed.

Common Hazards that Young Workers Face on the Job:

-Stressful work conditions

-Pressure to work faster

-Dangerous work that is illegal or inappropriate for youth under the age of 18

-Inadequate supervision

-Inadequate safety training

-Unsafe equipment use

Young workers are most oftentimes likely to face these hazards while working in some of the most common job positions. These positions include jobs at convenience stores, grocery stores, restaurants, retail shops, food service, fast food joints and in various maintenance, cleanup or janitorial jobs.

From 2003 to 2007, there were more than 300 workers who were under the age of 18 who were killed on the job in the U.S. There were thousands more who were injured. Parents and guardians need to talk with their young ones about the risks and the dangers that they can face on the job in addition to ways that they can address these issues. Knowledge can help to reduce the risks of these accidents and keep our teen workers safe.

Continue reading "Working to Protect Young Employees Over Summer Break and Beyond" »

If you work in Nursing and Residential Care Facilities, we've got some good news for you. According to officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there's a new National Emphasis Program (NEP) that is going to help to reduce some of the risks that these workers face on a daily basis.

Through this program, employers will be taught how to eliminate on-the-job hazards and officials will be conducting inspections throughout a three-year period in search of very specific hazards in this field. The NEP will help OSHA officials to target residential care facilities and nursing homes to help to reduce the risks of occupational accidents, injuries and illnesses among these giving and compassionate workers.

Employees who work in nursing and residential care facilities experience some of the highest rates or lost work days because of illnesses and injuries sustained on the job. Their rates were a lot higher than many other American industries. These injuries and illnesses can be easily prevented, too.

Our North Carolina workers' compensation attorneys understand that the incidence rate for these workers -- where they had to spend time away from work because of a work accident -- was nearly 3 times higher than that of those in the private industry. This number was still alarmingly high despite the improvement and the availability of feasible controls designed to help to reduce the risks of these dangers.

Many of the accidents experienced by workers in this industry were the result of slips, trips and falls as well as overexertion. If you combine the number of both slips, trips and falls with the number of overexertion accidents, the pair accounted for more than 62 percent of accident reports in which an employee had to take time off of work in 2010 in this field. With the NEP, officials will be targeting facilities with a DART rating of 10 or higher per 100 full-time workers.

"It is not acceptable that they continue to get hurt at such high rates," said Dr. David Michaels, with OSH.

Officials are hoping that the new emphasis program and the threat of inspections by OSHA officials will help to get employers to improve employee protections and to do a better job at helping to protect society's caretakers.

Those who work at these kinds of facilities face a number of serious health and safety hazards. Under the new NEP, employers will be offered guidance from OSHA officials regarding procedures and policies that can be used to target and conduct inspections to help to eliminate these dangers. Some of these hazards can include exposure to chemicals, exposure to drugs, ergonomic stressors from handling patients, communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, exposure to blood and other potentially infectious material, slips trips and falls and even workplace violence.

These workers are entitled to the same rights as any other worker in the country. They are to be provided with the proper safety equipment to help to reduce the risks of an accident or an illness. In fact, protective gear might be more important in this field than in many other industries.

Workers in this field are required to be extra careful on the job. They may not face some of the same work-related dangers that construction workers do, but their risks of on-the-job injuries can be just as serious. One wrong move can land one of these workers with a life-altering injury. It's important to not only keep the safety of the residents and the patients a top priority, but to also keep the safety of the workers as a number one concern, too.

Continue reading "National Emphasis Program Working to Protect Workers in Nursing and Residential Care Facilities" »

Safety officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are working to spread the word about a work safety campaign that is being used to help to protect workers in the construction industry.

Fall accidents in the Carolinas are a leading cause of construction accidents. Nationwide, there were more than 10,000 employees in the construction industry who were injured from fall accidents while working from heights in 2010. More than 250 workers were killed in these accidents.

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis, with OSHA, made the announcement of the launch of the new campaign at the Action Summit for Worker Safety and Health. This was one of the many events held to honor Workers' Memorial Day. This Memorial Day is used to recognize all of the workers who we lost as a result of accidents that could have been prevented. The Los Angeles event was held by officials with the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, the Labor Occupational Safety and Health program of Los Angeles and the University of California.

Our Greensboro workers' compensation attorneys understand that there were nearly 5,000 employees killed at work across the country in 2010. During the same year, there were about 150 workers who were killed on the job in the state of North Carolina, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Nationwide, more than 10 percent of all fatal work accidents were the result of a falls to a lower level. Falls are the second leading cause of fatal work accidents among all industries behind transportation accidents. What's most unfortunate about these kinds of accidents is that they're easily prevented. Workers and employers clearly require more education, more training and more preventative resources to help to reduce the risks of these accidents.

According to Solis, the best way to honor workers who we've lost is to recognize them on Workers' Memorial Day and to work harder to make sure that no other families have to endure the pain and suffering that accompany these kinds of accidents. Falls are the deadliest of accidents in the construction industry. They are also one of the most avoidable. Solis adds that about a third of all constriction worker fatalities are fall-related. The message of the new campaign is a simple one -- Safety Pays. Falls Cost.

The new fall campaign was created by officials with OSHA and with those at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as well as NIOSH's National Occupational Research Agenda program. Officials will be working with everyone in the construction industry to help to provide the proper education, safety materials and preventative measures to help to eliminate the risks of these kinds of accidents.

Continue reading "OSHA Campaign to Reduce Fall Accidents in Carolinas" »

There is a new memorandum of agreement between officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

This new agreement is going to facilitate cooperation and coordination between the two agencies regarding the enforcement of the FRA's whistleblower provision. This provision will provide better protection for workers who choose to raise concerns of safety violations at railroads across the country. Workers were not always provided with the best protection under these circumstances and were often retaliated against. Under federal law, employers are not allowed to retaliate against workers who fear for their safety on the job and report a hazard or an accident.

There are a number of regulations and safety standards that have been created that are supposed to be enforced by officials with the FRA, rail labor organizations and rail stakeholders. Oftentimes, inspections, education and enforcement are the most effective measures taken to help ensure the safety of everyone involved in the system. Unfortunately, these measures are not always taken by rail companies and organizations. That's when officials have to step in. Currently, officials with the FRA have broad authority over the safety of the fleet but is not able to address whistleblower incidents.

Our Asheville workers' compensation attorneys understand that the safety of these workers heavily relies on their ability to report a danger, a hazard, an accident or an injury. They need not fear retaliation, the loss of their job or anything else. A closed system means these kinds of incidents will not be reported and safety on the job will be compromised. Rail workers, as with all other workers in the country, have rights to a safe and healthy work environment and have the right to speak up about potential dangers.

"Securing a process that protects employees who report safety violations is critical to maintaining safety standards in the workplace," said Joseph Szabo, FRA Administrator.

The number of whistleblower complaints within this industry has risen in recent year. From 2007 to 2012, there were nearly 1,000 reported to OSHA officials under only the FRSA. Nearly 65 percent of these complaints said that an employee was retaliated against after reporting a work accident or injury.

Now, officials with the FRA will have specific instructions to follow when dealing with whistleblower complaints. Officials with the FRA will have to hand over a copy of each complaint to OSHA. OSHA officials will be providing FRA members with the proper training to deal with these complaints, with effective measures to eliminate acts of retaliation and to help to recognize potential violations of railroad safety standards and regulations.

Lastly, officials with both parties will be working together to help to make sure that both illness and injury reports are as accurate as possible.

Continue reading "Railroad Workers Better Protected Under New Agreement" »

If you've lost your job, you've still got rights that you need to protect. Some of those rights include continuing your health care coverage and unemployment compensation, according to the United States Department of Labor.

There are a number of reasons why a worker may leave the job. They could be fired, they can resign, they can suffer from a work accident or they can choose to change career paths. Regardless, there are things that you need to know about leaving a job. Both you and your employer have responsibilities to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Our Asheville workers' compensation attorneys understand that some employees and their families who might otherwise lose health benefits have the right to choose to continue their group health benefits provided by their group health plan through work for a limit amount of time. Many may not be aware of this and may unknowingly give up these rights. In these cases, many times employers and companies are required to provide these individuals with specific notices regarding these issues.

Those who have been let go of a job through no fault of their own and meet a few other requirements might be able to receive funds through unemployment benefits, too. These benefits were created to help to provide temporary financial help to those who lost their job for specific and limited reasons. Funds are available to those individuals who meet specific requirements under their state law and under federal law.

With the federal unemployment insurance program, each state is allowed to administer their own insurance program. It's required to follow federal law however.

Under the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) law, employers are prohibited from discriminating on the job against any employee. They cannot discriminate against employees regarding veteran status, disability, national origin, ethnicity, sex, religion, color, race or age. Employers are not allowed to let go an employee based on any of these characteristics.

While some are worried about what they're going to do because they've been laid off, others are just thankful that they've got a job and a lot more people are saying that now. According to the Secretary of the Department of Labor, the U.S. added nearly 100,000 jobs in the month of June.

The month of June serves as the 28th month in a row in which there has been growth in the private sector. Now, there are nearly 4.5 million private sector jobs. Gross domestic product growth has now been positive for 11 consecutive quarters and we continue on the path toward stable and durable growth.

Continue reading "Employee Rights in Asheville and Elsewhere Following Termination" »

Our teens are out there trying to earn an extra dollar while they've still got some time away from school. It's the one time of the year when they get to shut their text books and hit the workforce in hopes of making some cash.

During this time, we're asking parents to check in on their young workers and their jobs to make sure that everything's going well. You want to make sure that they're not being overworked, that their compensation is appropriate, that they're performing jobs that they can do and that they're aware of their rights on the job.

Work accidents in Charlotte and elsewhere are likely among these young workers as they're less likely to speak up about any mishaps on the job not only because they may not know any better but also because they may not want to jeopardize their summer position. We need to make sure that our young workers are aware of their rights as a worker in the U.S. and that they know how to voice their concerns on the job.

The Department of Labor is monitoring child labor law compliance and there are strict rules and regulations governing the employment of young workers. The most common federal law that restricts the employment and abuse of child employees is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). These laws were created to help to protect the educational opportunities and to help keep an eye on them while working. Oftentimes, these young workers work in positions that are far too advanced for their abilities. This is how accidents and injuries result.

Our Charlotte workers' compensation attorneys understand that there were more than 2 million individuals under the age of 18-years-old in the state of North Carolina in 2007. Of this population, many of them sought out summertime jobs. Under FLSA, children under the age of 16-years-old are limited as to which positions they can hold and how many hours they can work.

President Obama is helping to get these kids to work during their summer breaks as he recently launched the Summer Job+ 2012. This program helps to provide hundreds of thousands of summer gigs to low-income and disconnect young ones across the nation.

Workers under the age of 18 may not work with:

-the storing or manufacturing of explosives.

-roofing or any job on top of a roof.

-excavating or trenching.

-mining other than coal.

-driving a vehicle on the job.

-manufacturing tile, brick or other related products.

-any power-driven metal-forming, shearing or punching machines.

-compactors, balers, power-driven paper-products machines.

-power-driven bakery machines.

-ship-breaking, demolition or wrecking operations.

-power-driven meat-processing machines

-power-driven woodworking machines.

-any exposure to ionizing radiation or any radioactive substances.

-any forestry service, timber tract, forest fire prevention or fire fighting.

Continue reading "Teens and Risks of Work Accidents in Charlotte and Elsewhere through Summer" »

Both the officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and employers with CMM Realty Inc. have reached a settlement in a lawsuit that was filed by the department after an employee was fired because he voiced his concerns for his risks of a work accident in Rock Hill and elsewhere in the state. The South Carolina-based real estate management company has its headquarters in Columbia.

One of its employees filed a lawsuit with OSHA after he said he was wrongfully terminated from his position as a maintenance employee after he raised concerns with the company's owner about possible asbestos at a work site. According to the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, the company is responsible for providing the worker with nearly $50,000 in addition to injunctive relief that will prohibit the defendants from violating the whistleblower provisions of OSHA. Within the agreement, the company is required to put up posters around its work sites regarding whistleblower information. These posters will be in both Spanish and English and will be provided by OSHA. Lastly, the company has been instructed to expunge all disciplinary actions in the worker's employment record as well as provide any prospective employers with a neutral reference for him.

Our Rock Hill workers' compensation attorneys understand that each and every worker has rights on the job and one of those rights includes whistleblower protection. All employees should be able to, and are encouraged to, speak up about any dangers or hazards that they witness on the job.

According to reports, the employee reported asbestos on one of the company's properties back in 2009. On the very same day that the employee was asked to leave that specific work site as he was told that his services we no longer of use. Less than a week later, he was officially notified about his termination. State agencies ended up conducting inspections on that work site and concluded that there was asbestos present. The company was cited for violating national asbestos standards.

After observing the dangerous material on the work site and after being let go from his position with the company, the worker filed two complaints with officials at OSHA. After receiving the complaints, safety officials investigated the property in question and the termination and discovered that not only was the work site dangerous, but that the company has no cause to let go of the worker under these conditions. The company appealed OSHA's findings. Later in 2011, OSHA ended up suing the company for discriminating against an employee for filing a complaint

Companies are not permitted to retaliate against workers who voice their concerns about safety issues in the workplace. All employers are required to make sure that all possible measures are taken to help to ensure worker safety!

Continue reading "Work Accidents in Rock Hill and Elsewhere Likely with Real Estate Company's Disregard" »

Officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are cautioning employers in the pyrotechnics/fireworks industry to protect their workers from the dangers that they're going to face with the Fourth of July holiday and while handling these explosives at public events.

Every year, there are about 9,000 fireworks injuries in Charlotte and elsewhere that result in a trip to the emergency room. About 6,000 of these injuries occur during the 30 days that surround the Fourth of July holiday.

"As we look forward to celebrating July 4 with fireworks and festivities, we must also consider the safety of workers," said Dr. David Michaels with the Occupational Safety and Health.

Our Charlotte workers' compensation attorneys understand that it's an employer's responsibility to make sure that all workers are safe and protected on the job. To do this, the appropriate measures and procedures need to be followed. This is especially important during this time of year for employees who display, handle, sell and make these dangerous pyrotechnic materials.

To help employers and employees to stay safe during this explosive holiday, officials with OSHA are offering a Safety and Health Topics web page. On this page, workers in both the fireworks display and the sales of fireworks positions will be addressed. There are descriptions of common dangers and hazards that come along with working with fireworks. Employees and employers are also provided with a number of solutions to help to reduce risk of injury.

Employers are also provided with safety posters to hang about the work areas as well as a video that will help to demonstrate the most effective work practices for these workers. This information has all been provided by the National Fire Protection Association.

Information from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is included in the site's references.

Pyrotechnics include many devices to detonate, launch, or initiate an explosive material. Each company and employer is required by federal law to make sure that each employee is free from recognized dangers and hazards that are causing or are probably going to cause any injury or death.

All employers are required to make sure that they have the appropriate local and state licenses, permits and inspections completed prior to conducting business. They are also required to post and enforce smoke-free areas within 50 feet of areas in which fireworks can be found.

Continue reading "Pyrotechnic Work Accidents in Charlotte and Elsewhere Likely with Fourth of July Holiday " »

Falls are a common cause of work-related injuries in Asheville and elsewhere regardless of which industry you work in.

A fall accident can result from walking up stairs, climbing a ladder or even tripping over a power cord in the office. Others can be more serious like ones affecting ironworkers who work nearly 100 feet in the air. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that there were more than 600 employees killed and another 212,800 employees injured because of fall-related accidents in the work place in 2010.

Fatal fall accidents most frequently occur to those who work in the construction industry although the highest number of injuries typically occur to those who work in the wholesale and retail as well as the health service industry. Some of those who are at particularly high risks for fall accidents include those who work in extraction occupations, construction, transportation and material moving, building cleaning and maintenance as well as healthcare industries.

Our Asheville workers' compensation lawyers understand that there are certain circumstances that are oftentimes associated with these kinds of accidents. Many times, unprotected edges, unstable walking areas, clutter, slippery surfaces, wall openings, floor holes, misused fall protection and even unsafely placed ladders are likely causes of these kinds of accidents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to federal safety laws and regulations, employers are required to provide employees with performance-based protection for fall prevention. Unfortunately, many of our county's work places have unacceptably unsafe work practices in addition to the already low safety culture and fall-related injury and fatalities continue to be far too high each year.

Experts report that these kinds of accident cost roughly $70 billion each year in just the U.S. alone. These costs are comprised of medical costs as well as workers' compensation costs. Reports indicate that we're not the only country that's facing these problems though. For that reason, officials with the international public health community are working together to help to create strategies to help to reduce these risks.

Employers are urged to enact fall prevention procedures, standard and equipment.

Falls continues to be one of the leading causes of work-related injuries. In 2008, falls accounted for nearly 60 fatalities in the manufacturing sector along. These incidents also contributed to nearly 24,700 injuries that resulted in days away from work in the same sector.

If you've been injured in a fall-related accident on the job, you're urged to visit a doctor and have your injuries treated immediately. After you do that, it's critical for you to contact an experienced attorney to help you to fight for your rights and for the compensation that you deserve.

Each year, nearly 9 million people are admitted through an emergency room because of fall-related accidents.

Continue reading "Fall Accidents in Asheville and Elsewhere: Preventable On The Job " »

It's getting hot out there and our risks for a heat-related work injury in Rock Hill and elsewhere are increasing by the day. A lot of workers are exposed to heat through both outdoor and indoor work environments. Workers who work around radiant heat sources, high air temps, high humidity and those who perform strenuous physical activities have high risks for these accidents, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

These workers can include those who work within areas like steam tunnels, construction, smelters, mining sites, chemical plants, food canneries, laundries, commercial kitchens, confectioneries, bakeries, electrical utilities, rubber products factories, glass products facilities, brick-firing and ceramic plants, nonferrous foundries as well as iron and steel foundries. Those who work outdoors are also at serious risks, including those who complete emergency response operations, hazardous waste site activities, landscaping, asbestos removal, gas well and oil operations, farmers and those in construction.

Our Rock Hill workers' compensation lawyers understand that there are thousands of workers who suffer injuries and illnesses on the job because of occupational heat exposure. Some of these injuries are even fatal. When a worker completes tasks outside or in a hot indoor environment, their body must be able to get rid of excess heat to maintain a stable internal temperature. This is usually done from blood circulations and by sweating. Unfortunately, when the air temps and the normal body temp are close to each other, the cooling of the body gets harder. This is when serious problems arise.

Employers are required to make sure that their employees are not at risk for a heat-related accident. They're required to take all of the safety precautions to prevent an accident. That includes making sure that work areas are not too hot, that workers are provided with breaks to cool off when needed and that they're not being overworked in hot temps.

Luckily, there are ways to help to prevent these kinds of accidents. Employers and employees should consider engineering controls for this, including...

-Fans to cool off workers.

-Increasing general ventilation.

-Air conditions break rooms and work areas.

-Eliminating steam leaks.

-Insulating hot surfaces.

-Reflective shields to redirect radiant heat.

-Local exhaust ventilation at points of high heat production or moisture (such as exhaust hoods in laundry rooms).

All workers should be trained to recognize the symptoms of a heat-related illness. Early recognition and treatment may be the last line of defense against one of these accidents.

Recognizing Heatstroke:

-Confusion.

-Weakness.

-Rapid heartbeat.

-Light headedness.

-Vomiting or nausea.

-Cool, moist skin.

-Irritability.

-Clusters of red bumps on skin.

-Headache.

-Dizziness.

-Extremely high body temperature.

-Excessive sweating or red, hot, dry skin.

-Seizures.

If any of the symptoms are recognized, it's critical for a worker to cool off immediately. Sit them in a cool, shaded area and cool them off. Call for medical attention if symptoms don't go away. These illnesses can turn fatal in a matter of minutes.

Continue reading "Heat-Related Work Accidents in Rock Hill and Elsewhere Likely through Summer" »

The summertime is here and so are those roadside construction workers. This time of the year serves up the perfect weather for these workers to get out and to make improvements. Unfortunately, it's also one of the most dangerous times to work roadside.

Roadway work zones are not only dangerous to the drivers who are traveling through all of the barrels, signs, lane changes and orange cones, but also for the employees who work long hours building, repairing and maintaining our streets. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were nearly 700 people killed in work zones. The dangers are no less in North Carolina when it comes to roadwork traffic accidents.

This number includes both passing motorists and roadside workers. This was an increase of nearly 50 fatalities from the year before. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 100 of these fatalities were roadside workers.

Our Anderson workers' compensation lawyers understand that nearly 75 percent of roadway work zone fatalities were the result of transportation-related accidents. From 2003 to 2007, there were close to 640 workers who were killed while working at a roadside construction site. The construction industry as a whole is one of the most dangerous industries that a person can work in as it returns the highest number of fatal work accidents year after year. During this four year span, there were more than 8,100 fatalities in the construction industry. The number of worker fatalities in road construction accounts for nearly 8 percent of all of the fatal work accidents in the industry.

About half of these fatalities were attributed to a worker getting hit by a passing vehicle or by a piece of construction equipment.

Passing motorists have some of the biggest impact on the safety of these workers. To help you to get through our state's road construction zones and to help to keep safe the workers on these sites, we're offering you the following tips. Please review and share these tips with your friends and family members.

-Always expect the unexpected.

-Be on the lookout for changing traffic patterns and speed limits.

-Slow down your speed. Speed is one of the top causes of accidents in work zones.

-Never tailgate other vehicles. You want to allow yourself with an ample amount of time to react to a roadway hazard. Tailgating only reduces your reaction time.

-Steer clear of construction vehicles.

-Be sure to obey road crew flaggers. The flagger knows what is best for moving traffic safely in the work zone. Remember that these flaggers have the same authority as posted speed signs and you can be cited for not following their direction.

-Put down the distractions when driving through a work zone.

-Keep up with traffic flow.

-Make sure you've left with enough time to get through work zones.

-Be calm and keep cool. Sometimes there are delays in these areas. Don't lose your cool. Remember, the work zone crew members are working to improve the road and make your future drive better.

Continue reading "Roadside Workers at High Risks for Accidents in Anderson and Elsewhere" »

Officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the state are investigating a recent work accident in Greenville that killed a worker and injured another.

The accident happened at a local construction site on Scuffletown Road in Greenville County, according to News Channel 7.

Crews of the site were digging a trench for a water line when one of the machines fell on top of the man and push him into the hole, entrapping him. The who was nearly 20 feet deep. Officials believe that the proper safety precautions were not made to reduce the risks of this kind of accident.

One of the company's workers was killed in the accident. A second employee was stuck under the machine and was sent to the hospital in the accident. The company that the workers were employed by was Payne, McGinn & Cummins, Inc., a local construction company.

Our Greenville workers' compensation lawyers understand that the company had two serious violations from OSHA that were issued back in 2007. One of the violations was for neglecting to inspect an excavation daily to point out and remove any and all hazards. The second of the two was for having an inadequate protection system for employers to protect them from cave-in accidents. The fines that came with these two violations was more than $4,000. It's looking like the company will be soon receiving a repeat violation for not only violating the rule again, but for having an accident result because of it.

In the most recent Greenville accident, a 28-year-old worker was killed. The second victim in the accident was still at the hospital and was last updated to be in "good" condition.

Officials have not determined the exact cause of the accident but officials with South Carolina's OSHA will continue to investigate. Officials report that this process could take anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks.

No matter how many trenching, shoring, and backfilling jobs you've done in the past, it's important to approach each new job with the utmost care, caution and preparation. Many work-related accidents are the direct result of inadequate initial planning. Waiting until after the work has started to correct mistakes in shoring or sloping slows down the operation, adds to the cost, and increases the possibility of a cave-in or other excavation failure.

Officials estimate that about 2 workers are killed each month in trench collapses. Each worker in a trench should be protected from a cave-in by an adequate protective system.

A competent person must inspect trenches daily when conditions change. An unprotected trench is an early grave. Never enter an unprotected trench.

Protective Systems:

-Benching.

-Sloping.

-Shoring.

-Shielding.

Continue reading "Company Under Scrutiny After Work Accident in Greenville" »

Those who work in hydraulic fracturing operations are at high risks for a work-related accident in Asheville and elsewhere. Because of the dangers that these workers face, officials with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued a hazard alert asking for employers of these workers to take the proper safety precautions to protect them from silica exposure.

The recent hazard alert is comes on the heels of a study that was conducted by industry partners and officials with NIOSH. The study pointed out the real risks that these workers are at for overexposure to silica and they're pretty serious.

Our Asheville workers' compensation attorneys understand that respirable silica is a hazard common to many industrial processes and industries. Unfortunately, there are large quantities of silica sand used in hydraulic fracturing. Because of this, officials with NIOSH launched a cooperative effort back in January of 2010 to look at records of hydraulic fracturing operations and risks of silica exposure. Through the study, officials teamed up with the oil and gas industry to test out the air at various work sites in more than 10 states. The workers that had the highest risks for silica exposure-related injuries were those who worked downwind of blender and sand mover operations.

Employees who work around silica all day run the risk of developing silicosis. This is a disease that results from inhaling silica day after day. Silicosis is a disease that occurs when the tissue in the lung reacts negatively to silica that has been inhaled. This disease causes both inflammation and scarring of the lungs. When this happens, the victim will notice difficulty breathing as the lung is not equipped to absorb oxygen as well. Silica, when overexposed, can cause lunch cancer. It has also been attributed to a number of other diseases, including kidney and autoimmune disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and tuberculosis.

After concluding the study, officials with OSHA and with NIOSH concluded that employers need to make sure that their employees are protected from these dangers. The silica alert offers information to help employers to properly train workers and to properly protect them. Work practices and engineering controls are the best way to keep these workers safe.

The alert covers the health effects of breathing in silica, as well as recommends ways a number of ways to protect workers and it tells us how OSHA and NIOSH can help. Both employers and employees need to be aware of the dangers that silica dust presents. Employers are required, under federal law, to ensure that workers are properly protected from exposure to silica.

"It is important for employers and workers to understand the hazards associated with silica exposure," said OSH's Dr. David Michaels.

Continue reading "Work Accidents in Asheville and Elsewhere Likely Among Hydraulic Fracturing Operations" »