According to a recent news report from Safe to Work, a second accident involving a piece of equipment known as integrated tool carrier, or IT carrier, has occurred within a relatively short period of time.  This incident occurred in March.  There two workers in the basket were working on excavation and removal of two large pipes running under the city sidewalk.

construction-krane-1429442-mThe lift was raised nearly as high as it could, and it would provide the workers access to the pipe labeled for removal.  However, after reaching its maximum height, the person in control decided to just tilt the basket upwards and diagonal to get the workers even closer to the pipe being removed.  Continue reading

A recent news commentary from Fair Warning looks at how some workplace accidents could result in criminal charges and consequences.  As the article notes, when we typically think of crimes taking place in the workplace, we think of an employee being assaulted, a robbery at a gas station or even a bank, an employee accused of stealing something, and things along those lines.

workHowever, some workplace accidents can also be a crime. This is an instance when an employer knowingly disregards workplace safety regulations, and it results in a serious injury or death.  Under some circumstances when this happens, the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will investigate the situation and can levy fines.  In some more serious cases, the local police or an attorney general may decide to pursue criminal charges.  While it not an everyday occurrence, it certainly does happen from time to time. Continue reading

According to a recent news feature from The LAist, police have intercepted drug dealers complaining of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) as a result of counting so many $1 bills.  While at first this may seem like a joke, when police busted this particular group of alleged drug dealers, they were found with over $600,000, all in singles.

wrist-pain-3-1411523While the police said they are familiar with finding small bills in the homes or offices of city drug dealers, they had never seen so many $1 bills.   They said there enough singles that even when they were banded in neat stacks, could fill the entire bed of a standard pickup truck.  When the police went to count the evidence, it took them three days, so they could actually understand why it could cause carpal tunnel syndrome.  Continue reading

According to a recent news feature from the New Haven Register, a construction worker was severely injured while on the job when he was involved in a scaffolding accident.  Witnesses say the 47-year-old worker was working on a scaffold that was more than six stories up the side of a hospital building in Hartford when the workplace accident occurred.

scaffold-1-1543984While he was up on the scaffolding, there was a total structural collapse, and everything came crashing down, including the construction worker.  He fell more than 60 feet to the ground along with parts of the scaffolding on which he was previously standing.    One witness said he heard the scaffolding come crashing down, and it sounded like metal waste being thrown in a construction dumpster.  He said he had no idea there was anyone on the metal scaffolding at the time of the on the job accident.  The victim was severely injured in the accident was not conscious when first responders arrived at the scene and attempted to provide immediate medical attention. Continue reading

Harsh working conditions in slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants are not a new phenomenon in the meatpacking plants of Chicago and other cities across the United States. The problem was first brought to public attention when journalist Upton Sinclair published his now famous novel, The Jungle, highlighting the plight of immigrants and other workers

mmftBzMAs a result of this novel and many subsequent changes in worker’s rights laws, most workplaces have been a lot safer, and this includes slaughterhouses.  However, according to a recent news article from NPR, the latest government report is not capturing the total number of accidents in the meat and poultry industry.  Continue reading

According to recent news feature from 7 News Boston, a construction worker was on the job in Easton, Massachusetts performing work in a manhole when he was struck by a car and severely injured.

workerexcavatorAuthorities say the tragic workplace accident occurred around 10:30 a.m. on a roadway in a local condominium complex.  The 45-year-old construction worker was performing repairs and maintenance on the septic system that was only accessible via a manhole cover in the complex’s parking lot. Continue reading

According to a recent news update from the Boston Herald, two electrical workers were just shocked while on the job.  Authorities say they were working on an electrical box when they were both shocked by a powerful current.  In addition to being electrocuted, they suffered serious electrical burns during the workplace accident.

nwCxyICOne of the workers was severely injured, and when first responders arrived on the scene, they did not believe he would survive an ambulance ride to a level-one trauma center with a burn ward, so they called for a medevac helicopter, so he could be airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in downtown Boston.  Continue reading

A recently filed lawsuit claims that four of the largest workers’ compensation insurers in California hacked into plaintiff electronic files maintained by their workers’ compensation attorneys.  They claim these four companies hacked into the various systems of a number of years and were specifically looking for attorney client privileged documents.

money-problemsThe reason the lawsuit claims these large workers’ compensation insurance companies hacked into these files was because they wanted to use the allegedly stolen documents to give them a major advantage during litigation of workers’ compensation claims.  In other words, these four workers’ compensation insurance carriers could deny claims, and then whey they go to trial to defend the claim’s denials, they would have access to what injured workers discussed wither their attorneys and use this information to their advantage in court, according to allegations contained in a recent news feature from Business Insurance obtained from the complaint filing as part of this matter. Continue reading

According to a recent news report from News 4 Jax, a 69-year-old construction worker was killed while working at a construction site.  In this case, he was working on a massive pavement project when a street sweeper came by and hit him.  He was run completely over by the street sweeper and crushed by its massive wheels and brushes.streetvacuum

As soon as he was hit by the street sweeper, his fellow construction workers dialed 911. When first responders arrive at the scene of what would eventually prove to be a fatal on-the-job accident, the man was in very bad shape.  First, they had to work to get him out from under the massive street sweeper with the help of the fire department.  They could not risk simply driving the huge commercial vehicle off the man because that would likely result in significantly more damage.

Once they got the street sweeper of the victim, they attempted to provide immediate medical attention.  EMTs realized that he was in far too serious condition for an ambulance ride to a local hospital, so they called in a medevac helicopter, so the victim could be airlifted to a larger level-one trauma center. Continue reading

There are a lot of dangerous workplaces and types of occupations in Massachusetts.  Some of the jobs for which one might expect high injury rates are construction work in downtown Boston or commercial fishing in Gloucester.  While it is certainly more likely to get hurt in one of these traditionally dangerous occupations, a worker can be injured in any job, and the appropriate remedy is generally to file a claim for workers’ compensation.

canada-goose-1403007According to a recent news feature from the Tallahassee Democrat, a worker was injured when she was attacked by a goose.  Witnesses say that the victim was walking when she heard hissing and saw the goose come out of the bushes.  The goose continued to hiss at her and then began running towards her. Continue reading

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