OSHA Cites Paper Company For Numerous Safety Violations After Worker’s Death

Newman and Co., a Philadelphia-based paper manufacturing company, was recently cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for numerous safety and health violations in the workplace which resulted in the death of one of the company’s employees.

The individual was crushed to death in June 2010 during paper hopper loading operations. What resulted was a number of citations for “39 serious and 4 other-than-serious violations” according to the website workerscompensation.com.

Newman and Co. is now facing more than $86,000 in fines, according to the article, as a result of violations which included:

• Blocked fire exits;
• Electrical hazards;
• Failure to remove hazardous objects from the aisles;
• Inadequate machine guards;
• Inadequate protection (lockout/tagout) against hazardous energy sources;
• Ineffective pest control.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was passed into law to ensure employers were responsible for the safety and health of their employees in the workplace. […]

Leaks, spills, contamination are common at drilling sites

Contamination from drilling fluid and industrial wastewater spills are all too common among drilling operators seeking natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation.

There have been hundreds of incidents of spills at natural gas drilling sites in Pennsylvania during the last five years by more than 90 different drilling companies. According to The Scranton Times-Tribune, many of the largest drill operators in the Marcellus Shale have received notices of violation for spills that reached waterways, for leaking containment pits that contaminated drinking water and for other problems.

So far this year, inspectors have found 421 violations at Marcellus Shale wells. At least 50 of the violations involved a spill to soil or water that state officials attribute to poor management and a lack of proper oversight.

The blowout of a well drilled by EOG Resources in early June has focused Pennsylvania regulators’ attention on the need for new drilling safety regulations for Marcellus Shale gas drilling in order to prevent accidents and injuries. […]

$16 Million Awarded in Industrial Accident Settlement

Industrial accident yields largest personal injury settlement in Pennsylvania history

The Philadelphia Daily News reports the owner of a landfill and Caterpillar Inc. have agreed in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court to pay one of the largest settlements in Pennsylvania history for a single-victim personal injury case.

The companies have agreed to pay $16.25 million to a man whose legs were crushed by a bulldozer three years ago.

On May 1, 2006, the man was working his fifth day on the job as a truck spotter at the Chrin Sanitary Landfill, when a massive track loader backed around a pile of garbage and ran him over, crushing his legs.

He developed serious infections due to the garbage that had been crushed into his wounds. His right leg, part of his right hip, and most of his left leg had to be removed.

The lawsuit claimed the owners of the landfill had not trained the victim sufficiently and the Caterpillar didn’t have adequate rear vision. […]

The Limbo Stage: 21 Days to Accept or Deny

Once you have given notice of your injury to your employer, their insurance carrier has 21 days under the Workers’ Compensation Act to either accept or deny your claim for benefits. During this period of time, you are basically in limbo.

To accept the claim, the insurance carrier needs to file either one of two notices with the Bureau in Harrisburg. The first notice is a notice of temporary compensation payable. As the name implies, this notice temporarily accepts the claim for a period of 90 days to give the insurance carrier additional time to investigate your claim before making its final determination.

Prior to the end of the 90-day period, if the insurance carrier wishes to deny your benefits, they are required to file notice stopping temporary compensation. If the insurance carrier does not file the notice stopping the temporary benefits in the allotted time, […]

Panel Physicians and Workers Comp

So you got hurt at work and need to see a company doctor. Now what?

After you have given notice of your injury, your employer may require you to treat with one of their “panel physicians” through their insurance carrier. If your employer has a list of panel physicians or “company doctors,” you will be required to treat with one of the doctors on the list for the first 90 days of your injury.

Under the Workers’ Compensation Act, your employer is required to advise you of their list of panel physicians at the time of your hire and also at the time of your injury. They are also required to have you sign an acknowledgement that you are aware this policy and provide you with the list upon your injury.

If for some reason you do not like the doctor that you have chosen, […]