Massachusetts Workers Compensation Lawyers Blog

Officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have recently signed an alliance with the National Association of Women in Construction to develop training materials to help protect the women who work in the construction industry. The alliance is going to be focusing on sanitation and musculoskeletal risks as well as issues related to poorly-fitted personal protective equipment (PPE).

“We will work together to forge innovative solutions to improve the safety, health and working conditions for women in the construction trades and retain female workers during a critical time of job shortages in this industry,” said Dr. David Michaels with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Our Boston workers’ compensation lawyers understand that different workers may require special attention and assistance to complete a job safely. The aim of this new alliance is to provide fact sheets, training programs and special outreach resources for problems women may face on construction sites across the nation. The alliance also unveiled the new Women in Construction web page. This is a site that not only outlines, but also addressed certain health and safety issues that are specific to female workers.
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The parents of a construction worker who was killed in a New York City crane accident have settled their wrongful death lawsuit for $1 million. According to the Boston Globe, the insurance company, Liberty Mutual, agreed to settle the wrongful death suit that was filed by the 30-year-old’s parents, Colleen and Michael Simermeyer.

The company in question, Yonkers Contracting, was handed 10 violations and was charged with close to $70,000 in fines because of the accident. According to Daily News, the young worker was crushed when a huge tractor crane collapsed at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s No. 7 subway extension project in Manhattan back in April 2012.

Our Boston workers’ compensation lawyers understand that investigating officials noticed that the cable holding the 160-boom was frayed before it snapped and took the life of the young worker. Investigators have determined that this accident could have been prevented if the company had taken the proper safety procedures beforehand. However, Yonkers Contracting is contesting the findings.
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A landscaping working who was trimming branches in Holliston recent died after he was severely burned when his chainsaw made contact with a power line. According to the Boston Globe, the 26-year-old worker was completing duties in a bucket truck when the accident happened.

According to Deputy Fire Chief Jim Moore, the man was burning in the bucket when emergency responders arrived at the scene. Another employee from the commercial tree cutting company had to push the bucket away from the electrified line so fire fighters could free the man. He was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital and treated for major burns, but later died.

Our Holliston workers’ compensation lawyers understand that electrical injuries can be caused by a wide range of voltages but the risk of injury is generally greater with higher voltages and is dependent upon individual circumstances. As there are many stages of an electrical injury, including electric shock, electrical burns, loss of muscle control and thermal burns, they’re all very serious and oftentimes deadly.
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Job seekers and incumbent employees in the state of Massachusetts are soon getting a safety makeover. Thanks to the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund and the Patrick Administration, close to $5 million has been allotted to improve the skills and training of these individuals. This is not going to help to get people back to work, but it’s going to help to make sure that their safe on the job.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Labor, this program and these funds are designed to bridge the gap between the skills of workers and the skills that employers require (especially those that require more than a high school diploma, but less than a 4-year degree).

Our Boston workers’ compensation lawyers understand that it’s critical for all workers, regardless to scholastic education level, to be properly trained for each and every job position that they hold. With these funds, we’re hoping that each and every employee gets a thorough on-the-job education to help to eliminate the risks of accidents, injuries and fatalities at work. Each year, there were more than 4,600 people killed on the job in the U.S. in 2011. That means that there were close to 13 work-related fatalities recorded each and every day.
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It’s hot and dry out there, and while we may not think about it often, this serves up some serious risks for wildfires. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), being educated and prepared for these kinds of disasters can help to protect against the destructive impact of an outdoor fire.

These conditions are particularly dangerous to those who respond to emergencies and those who help in recovery efforts. Some operations, such as utility restoration, cleaning up spills of hazardous materials and search and rescue, should only be executed by employees who have undergone the proper training, equipment and experience.

Our Palmer workers’ compensation lawyers understand these warm, dry conditions and the right kind of vegetation consist of the three ingredients that make the perfect recipe for wildfires, like the one recently witnessed in the southwest part of the state.
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We all shop here: Wal-Mart. But unfortunately, the popular nationwide store is guilty of more than offering price-match guarantees and low everyday prices. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. was recently cited by officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for some serious health concerns, and as a result the company has agreed to improve health and safety at it’s close to 3,000 Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores that are under federal jurisdiction.

It all started from two enforcement cases in 2011. They were to enhance safety around cleaning chemicals, trash compactors and hazard communications, but also to improve the company’s overall health and safety practices.

“This settlement will help to keep thousands of exposed Wal-Mart workers safe and healthy on the job,” said Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

Our Boston workers’ compensation attorneys understand that the smallest of companies up through even the largest need to keep employee and work site safety as a number one priority. It’s federal law. Unfortunately, Wat-Mart wasn’t standing tall and so was putting its workers at some serious risks for accidents.

With the new settlement between Wal-Mart and OSHA, the company will not keep trash compactors locked. They’re also not allowed to be used unless the operator is being supervised by a trained manager or other trained personnel. The company will also now be working to better its hazard communication training and will be ensuring that safety procedures are more effective.

Wal-Mart spokesman Randy Hargrove said the company immediately addressed the problems as soon as it was made aware of them.

A summary of this agreement will be posted in each and every one of the Wal-Mart stores affected.

And all of this stemmed from two separate inspections carried out at the company’s Supercenter in Rochester, New York back in August of 2011.

According to USA TODAY, the retailer has agreed to pay close to $200,000 in fines over safety violations that were found during inspections at a Rochester, N.Y., area Supercenter. The fine was almost half of the $365,500 initially proposed by OSHA officials.

Wal-Mart’s website states, “Conducting our business in compliance with all health and safety laws is crucial to protecting each other from harm.” While that may not have been their top concern when the initial inspections were conducts, you can be sure that employers will be working harder this time around, to save the time and headache of an accident, injury, citation and even a significant fine.

The agreement covers 2,857 stores in the 28 states that follow OSHA recommendations.

Wal-Mart, which is the largest private employer in the world, has been cited in more than 100 OSHA reports of health and safety violations over the last five years.

Shares of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. dropped 3 cents to finish at $77.37 on Wednesday.
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There a new outreach and enforcement regional emphasis program in the New England area, and it’s targeting the dangers associated with high-noise work areas in a number of manufacturing industries.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (NHTSA), this program is going to work in places involved in fabrication and manufacturing of wood and stone products, plastics, metals, as well as dairy, meat and bakery production.

“Exposure to high noise levels can cause permanent hearing loss that cannot be corrected through surgery,” said Marthe Kent, OSHA’s New England regional administrator.

Our Boston workers’ compensation lawyers understand that if an employee is exposed to noise of at least 90 decibels (db), there is a risk of hearing loss. Tens of millions of people are exposed to excessive noise in the workplace. More than 20 million workers in the country are exposed to these kinds of dangers at work, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were over 20,000 cases of work-related hearing loss recorded in the U.S. An estimated $242 million is spent annually on worker’s compensation for hearing loss disability.

With the new program, officials will be identifying and inspecting work areas that have high noise levels. Through these efforts, they will be reaching out to employer to help to combat the problem.

Knowing if your workplace is too loud:

-You hear a humming or a ringing in your ears when you get off the job.

-You shout to be heard to someone who nearby on the job.

-You experience temporary hearing loss when leaving work.

Under the current standards, there are regulations on workplace sound compliments of officials with OSHA. What they have done is set legal limits on noise exposure in the workplace. The limits are based off of an average 8-hour work shift. During this time, the permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 90 dBA.

Reducing the risks:

-Consider using low-noise machinery and tools.

-Keep all machinery and equipment properly maintained and lubricated.

-Make sure that there is a barrier between the source of the noise and the worker (like curtains or some sort of sound wall).

-Enclose or isolate the noise source.

-Make sure that workers don’t spend a long amount of time near a noisy machine.

-Provide workers a quiet area to go to take a break from the noise.

-Operate noisy machines when as few as people possible are nearby.

-Make sure that your testing and monitoring the noise levels on the job frequently.

-Make sure that all workers are trained and properly educated in regards to hazards and preventative measures for noise exposure and control.

-Utilize and wear hearing conservation devices, such as earplugs and earmuffs. Ensure that the device has an airtight seal, which ensures that the loud sounds will not penetrate your eardrums.
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Falls are the number one cause of death in the construction industry, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In all industries, there were more than 600 people killed in fall accidents in the U.S. in 2009. While about 300 of these incidents happened in the construction industry, it’s clear to see that it’s a threat across the board — to job sites of all kinds.

Now, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are offering a new app to help to eliminate the risks for these accidents. It’s available on both the iPhone and Andriod. This app offers workers and employers a multimodal indicator and a graphic-oriented guide for ladder selection, inspection, positioning, accessorizing, and safe use.

Our Boston workers’ compensation lawyers understand that all jobs need to be planned to help to eliminate the risks for an accident. When factoring in job costs for an estimate, it’s critical that you include the costs of fall protection. You should always begin by deciding how the job will be done, what tasks will be involved and what safety equipment may be needed to complete each task.

Slips, trips and falls constitute the majority of general industry accidents. They cause close to 20 percent of all accidental fatalities and are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of death. The OSHA standards for walking/working surfaces apply to all permanent places of employment, except where only domestic, mining, or agricultural work is performed.

First, it’s important to understand what are major contributors to fall-related accidents:

-Improper equipment.

-Lack of safety equipment.

-Floor holes.

-Wall openings.

-Slippery walkways.

-Cluttered work spaces.

-Unprotected edges.

-Unstable floors.

These accidents are costly, too. As a matter of fact, fall injuries total about $70 billion in hospital and medical costs in the U.S. each year. As it’s not just the U.S. facing these problems, risks and costs, the international public health community has a strong interest in creating and administering strategies to reduce the toll of these kinds of accidents and injuries.

It’s clear that falls are common and carry serious consequences for victims and their families. It’s important for those impacted by a work-related fall to get legal assistance in order to protect their rights and interests.

But before an accident can strike, it’s important to know your rights — especially your right to a safe work environment. According to OSHA, law requires employers to provide their workers with working conditions that are free of known dangers.

While no workplace is entirely free of risks, both employers and employees can take steps to create a safe work environment and reduce slip and fall accidents as much as possible.

If you feel like you’re not being protected on the job, you’re asked to speak up. Talk with a supervisor today or file a complaint to have OSHA inspect your workplace. Speaking up can wind up saving lives.
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