Articles Posted in Workers Comp

When Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, it created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as OSHA. This small yet vital government agency has just 2,100 inspectors, but is responsible for ensuring the health and safety of approximately 130 million workers at more than eight million workplaces across the country.

From its 10 regional offices and 85 local offices, OSHA conducts inspections and enforces federal safety standards, in addition to providing valuable training and education.

Each year, OSHA releases a list of the top 10 most cited safety violations for the previous fiscal year. In fiscal year 2018 (October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018), the most common standards violations were:

Construction workers, firefighters, factory workers, landscapers, bakers, HVAC workers, miners, and other employees who work outdoors or in extreme heat environments are at risk of severe heat-related injuries and illnesses. These include heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke. Workers who are 65 or older, have high blood pressure or heart disease, take certain prescription medications, or are overweight face even greater risks of injury due to extreme heat.

Also, in addition to injuries caused by the heat itself, people who work in hot temperatures face increased risks of other workplace accidents and injuries. This is because the heat may lead to sweaty hands, fogged safety glasses, dizziness, confusion, or even dehydration.

Heat-related workplace injuries are far more common—and serious—than most people realize. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), thousands of workers in the United States become ill and dozens die each year while working in extremely hot or humid conditions. The worst part? These illnesses and deaths are largely preventable.

During the holiday season, there is demand for seasonal workers in many industries. Landscape companies may hire workers in order to take care of home decorating tasks or to cut and sell Christmas tress. Retail stores and hospitality businesses could hire more workers in order to keep up with customers coming in for holiday shopping and celebrations. Manufacturers may also ramp up production in order to address the holiday shopping frenzy.

These are just a few of many examples of industries where workers are often hired on a temporary basis during this time of year. Unfortunately, as seasonal holiday workers are brought into businesses, an increase in workplace accident risks occurs. These accidents can have devastating consequences that last well beyond the holiday season and which are sometimes permanent. Anyone who is a victim of an accident should reach out to an Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyer for assistance following the incident which caused them to suffer harm.

Seasonal Workers and the Risk of Atlanta Workplace Accidents

Many Atlanta teens spend their summers working in the landscape industry or working at a nursery or greenhouse. These physically demanding jobs are available for teens age 16 and up, although young people who are expected to drive a motor vehicle on the road as part of their job must be at least 17. While landscape work can provide fulfilling labor and a paycheck for teens who need spending money, there are also significant risks associated with work in this profession.

When a teen is injured while performing landscaping work, the young worker should generally be entitled to the same type of workers’ compensation benefits an adult could receive. This can include payment of medical costs and disability benefits. An Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyer at Van Sant Law, LLC can help with an injury claim when a teen sustains harm on-the-job.

Reducing Risks of Atlanta Summer Job Injuries for Teen Workers

Employers throughout Atlanta need to be aware of Occupational Safety and Health regulations and ensure compliance with the rules. When employees get hurt on-the-job or safety violations are reported, OSHA inspectors may levy fines against a company. Repeat violations and willful violations can result in larger fines. OSHA penalties are intended to act as a deterrent and prevent the types of risks on the job that can result in accidents and injuries.

For many workers in the construction field, the four biggest on-the-job risks include falls, electrocution, being caught in or between objects, and being hit by objects. OSHA refers to these four causes of injury as the “fatal fourbecause they are the primary reasons construction workers die while performing work tasks. When a worker is killed by any cause on-the-job, surviving family members should speak with an Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyer about their options for recovering work injury benefits and wrongful death damages.

Repeat OSHA Violations Lead to Atlanta Work Injuries- and Fines for Employers

With thousands of workers getting hurt and passing away due to on-the-job injuries each year, preventing work injuries is vitally important. To try to help keep employees safe, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration establishes rules aimed at preventing common causes of workplace injury.

In order for OSHA to prevent injuries, and in order for companies to prevent injuries, they must know what causes workers to get hurt. This is why it is so important for companies to keep accurate records when workers are injured. Now, however, congress has voted to repeal an OSHA rule related to record-keeping, and some safety experts are concerned this could increase the risk of work accidents.

If a worker is harmed at work, that worker needs to know his rights. An Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyer should be consulted to provide assistance to those who are harmed at work. Work injury benefits could provide coverage for injuries and for the death of an employee while performing work tasks.

When most people think of work injuries, they think of things like broken bones from a fall or illness from toxic exposure at work. While these types of work injuries do happen far too often, the most common work injury would likely come as a surprise to many. The most common work injury which is suffered by employees is actually hearing loss!

If an employee experiences hearing loss due to exposure to excessive noise at work, the injured worker should be entitled to medical benefits and other workers’ comp coverage. Actually getting these benefits can be complicated, though, because it is difficult in some cases to prove that hearing loss can be tied to the job. An Atlanta workers’ comp lawyer can provide help in proving workplace hearing loss occurred.

Workplace Hearing Loss a Leading Atlanta Work Injury

Employees should report all injuries in a timely manner when they get hurt on-the-job. Prompt reporting of injuries is essential, as an employee must notify an employer when an injury happens in order for the employee to remain eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. If an employee identifies a workplace safety violation, the worker should also provide notice of the unsafe conditions to the employer.

Unfortunately, sometimes employers take retaliatory action against those who report hazards or against those who report that an injury has happened. The law prohibits retaliation and protects whistleblowers, so those who make reports of illnesses or unsafe conditions should contact an Atlanta work accident lawyer if they face any adverse employment actions. An attorney can help you to get the workers’ comp benefits you deserve and can provide assistance with taking corrective legal action if you are the victim of retaliation.

Injured Atlanta Workers Protected from Retaliation for Reporting Injuries