OSHA issues planto help reduce workplace accidents, deaths

OSHA recently announced this year’s Site-Specific Targeting (SST) plan for general industry employers with 20 or more employees. The primary inspection list for federal OSHA jurisdiction will be comprised of 1,260 establishments in what the agency describes as high-hazard, non-construction industries.

It is OSHA’s goal that the inspection plan will reduce the number of injuries and illnesses that occur at individual workplaces by directing enforcement resources to workplaces with the highest rates of illness and injury. OSHA said the plan is based on survey data of 80,000 employers in high-hazard industries.

Those industries surveyed and targeted, include manufacturing, trucking, warehousing, air transportation and courier services, automobiles, construction materials, scarp and waste, groceries, poultry products, department stores and medical facilities. Among other things, the directive provides a checklist for compliance safety and health officers and provides scheduling and inspection procedures. […]

Construction Accidents Leading Cause of On-The-Job Fatalities

Construction work increases with the start of the warmer weather months in the Northeast and Mid Atlantic states. The job of a construction worker continues to be one of the toughest, and getting the right safety training and equipment can mean the difference between life and death.

The injuries that can result from construction accidents can be catastrophic and include spine and back injuries as well as traumatic brain injuries. According to the US Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), 4383 workers were killed on the job in 2012. Out of 3945 worker fatalities in private industry in 2012, nearly 20% were in construction. The leading cause of worker deaths on construction sites was falls.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Department of Labor reported that nearly 3 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported by private industry employers in 2012, […]

Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys discuss workplace injuries and fatalities and new OSHA regulation

4,383 workers were killed on the job in 2012, averaging more than 84 deaths a week or nearly 12 deaths every day, according to statistics from the US Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).

OSHA also reported that out of 3,945 worker fatalities in private industry in 2012, nearly 20% were in construction. According to the US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, fatal work injuries in the private construction sector increased 5% to 775 in 2012. The leading cause of construction site deaths was slip and falls, followed by struck by objects, electrocution, and caught-in/between. These “fatal four” as they are referred to by OSHA were responsible for 56% of construction worker deaths in 2012. Eliminating the “Fatal Four” could save 435 workers’ lives in America each year.

Fatal work injuries in the private mining sector rose, […]

Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer tells you the first thing you should do after a work accident

You have just been in an accident at work and now you have some questions for a Pennsylvania injury lawyer. Questions such as:

• What’s the very first thing you should do the moment after the accident happens?
• What can happen to you if you don’t tell your employer about the accident?
• What if you get a disease or illness from work?
• Can you get workers comp for that?
• Do you have to talk to any insurance adjuster?
• What does a Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer advise?
• How long to you have to get a Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer to file a workers comp case for you?

Here are some answers straight from a Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer:

Right after the accident, you need to immediately tell your boss or a supervisor and make sure a written record is made of the incident. […]

5 Things To Know About Workers’ Compensation in Pennsylvania

You may be entitled to workers’ compensation – read these 5 facts

The maximum weekly compensation rate for injured workers in Pennsylvania has risen to $917 for 2013.

That rate – which applies to workplace injuries occurring on and after January 1, 2013 – represents an increase of 3.3 percent from 2012.

Under the state’s Workers’ Compensation Act, workers who are hurt on the job are entitled to wage-loss benefits equal to two-thirds of their weekly pay. However, there are minimum and maximum limits. The exact amounts are based on the Department of Labor and Industry’s calculation of the statewide average weekly wage.

Following are 5 Things You Should Know About Workers’ Compensation in Pennsylvania:

1. What injuries are covered by the Workers’ Compensation Act? Generally speaking, if you suffer a work-related injury or illness, […]