According to a recent news article from Huffington Post, the total number of workers who died on the job last year in the United States was nearly 5,000. This is up two percent from the total number or workplace deaths that occurred in the United States in the previous year. It should be noted that the figures for this year were only preliminary, and there will likely be an increase in the number when it is finalized, as is typically the case.

mjYB3LcWhile the total numbers are up this year over last year, the rate of fatal workplace accidents has not changed. This is explained by an improved economy with more workers on the job than in previous years and more hours being worked than in previous years. The number of hours worked matters, because of the way in which the rate is calculated, at least in part by the total number of hours worked each year. Continue reading

According to a recent news article from CNN, a man was working at scrapyard when he was killed by large explosion. After an initial investigation, it has been determined the explosion was caused by a Mk 82 general purpose bomb used by the United States military, where it can be dropped by various types of aircraft.

airplane-bombs-1532912The Mk 82 bomb weighs 500lbs and is currently among the smallest non-guided aerial ordinance used in the United States military. The bomb carried a Tritonal high explosive warhead that weighs around 200 pounds. While the bomb itself is considered a “dumb” bomb, it can actually be inserted into a laser guided or GPS guided smart bomb to serve as the new weapon’s warhead. These bombs have been used for a many years, and thousands of them were dropped during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. Despite their long time in service, they are still used today, and it is unclear to authorities and the Department of Defense (DOD) how a live Mk 82 ended up in a scrapyard in Arizona. Continue reading

Whenever a new stadium is built, there is a lot of excitement and, sometimes, conflicting emotions from fans. Usually by the time a stadium is being replaced, it is old and falling apart, or it is located in an area that many fans consider unsafe or difficult to get to, and that can harm attendance.

mieBusOWhen a new stadium is finally complete after decades of talk and years of construction, fans will go to the new stadium, even if they will always miss the old stadium. However, with all the good memories people who are fans may have, some construction workers and their families may have tragic memories associated with the construction of the new stadium. Continue reading

Working on a construction site is one of the most dangerous jobs in America. Construction workers are constantly working around heavy machinery. There are often heavy loads suspended from cranes well over the heads of construction workers, and these workers are frequently required to climb to dangerously high levels and use power tools, which can also be extremely dangerous, should there be an on-the-job accident.

workerexcavatorAccording to a recent news article from WPRI, a construction accident in Taunton, Massachusetts resulted in the death of a worker. This is the second fatal accident involving a construction site in that city in the past month. In the first fatal construction accident, a worker was killed when a lift fell over onto him during construction of a new school. Continue reading

Gauthier v. Keurig Green Mountain, an appeal from the Supreme Court of Vermont, involved a claimant who began working for defendant in May 2007. He was working full time as a maintenance technician, and his employment was considered to be at will.

1398484_3d_illustration_of_computer_technologies__concept_notebookClaimant’s job at the factory was to maintain production equipment and machinery and repair any broken machinery when needed. For some reason, claimant’s supervisor became concerned claimant or his coworkers were using the Internet excessively while they were supposed to be working.   The company provides Internet access for its maintenance technicians but expects it to be used for work-related needs.   The supervisor asked human resources (HR) to perform what the company calls a “Websence” report of claimant’s login account and the accounts of his ten coworkers. With respect to claimant, the report showed he had nearly 42,000 hits in the month of July alone, which the company considers more than two times the acceptable level of Internet use by an employee. Continue reading

While most on-the-job accidents associated with workers’ compensation involve a single traumatic event, other types of on-the-job injuries are a result of years of repetitive stress. Some of these are more obviously work-related, such as degenerative spine disease, but can also manifest in other ways, such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

yoga-mats-1620086Carpal tunnel syndrome is a disease caused by a pinching or narrowing of the bundle of nerves with the same name as the disease. The carpal tunnel runs through the palm side of the wrist and controls movement of the fingers. When the tunnel becomes compressed, it can result in pain and numbness, weakness in the hand, and several other symptoms. Continue reading

According to a recent article from WCVB Boston, a worker was killed when a construction lift tipped over. Federal safety officials say the fatal on-the-job accident occurred behind St. Mary’s School in Taunton. The construction lift was being operated on a slope at the rear boundary of the property, adjacent to the hospital.

mjYB3LcFederal and local safety inspectors are not exactly sure what happened in the accident in which this worker was killed. They do know, however, that what they are describing as a large aerial lift was on the slope when it toppled over, causing the death of a worker. There was a fence around the lift, which was partially crushed by the fallen lift, and the scene was somewhat chaotic. There were police, workers in hard hats, and safety experts everywhere. Continue reading

Despite the recent drop in gas prices, gas is still much higher than it was a decade ago, and people are doing what they can to reduce the amount of money they spend on their daily commute. For some, that means buying smaller cars or trucks. For others, purchasing a hybrid, such as a Prius, is a good way to save on gas. However, the way to save the most on gas is to purchase a fully electric car. Toyota makes a Prius model with this option, as do Nissan and Chevrolet with their respective Leaf and Volt models. However, if you are looking for something sportier than one of these small economy cars, and are willing to spend around $100,000, you could get one of the new Tesla fully electric sports cars now available.

1406358_high_voltageWhile driving an electric car has obvious advantages, you need to fully charge the car at your home before getting behind the wheel, because, if you run out of battery, you will have to plug the car in and wait hours before it is recharged. This limitation on driving distances is one of the major reasons more people have not adopted fully electric cars, and the lack of infrastructure around the country is not helping. Even in cities like Boston, where it would be perfect, there are not many places to stop and recharge. Continue reading

There is nothing quite like going to the fair. Whether it is teenagers heading out to the fair in the last days before school starts again, or family heading out for a day of fun, there is always a lot to see and do. It is also the chance to eat some of the unhealthiest foods imaginable.

rideHowever, men and women who work at a fair and travel with it across the country are working a job just like any other, and just like any other job, there are employees who get injured. According to a recent news article from WMUR, the Cornish Fair in New England had to close one of the rides after one worker and two guests were injured in an accident. Continue reading

Large factories often employ hundreds, if not thousands, of workers each.

These employees are often at risk for a variety of reasons. In addition to the typical accidents we imagine, such as those involving heavy machinery on the production floor, there are a great deal of on-the-job injuries related to repetitive stress in factory jobs.

ford-t-1420342According to a recent news report from Assembly, Ford Motor Company has been working to reduce the number of on-the-job injuries at its production facilities, and is reporting a 70 percent reduction in the worker injury rate among its workforce. Continue reading

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