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Tag Archives: hazardous condition

November 12, 2013 News
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Government may require companies to disclose workplace injury and illness info

The federal government’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is currently trying to force large employers to report work-associated illnesses and on-the-job injuries in a new format. This would include digital reporting of the work accidents and diseases so that the information can be published online. Mandatory reporting of occupational injuries and illnesses is not new, rather it’s the goal of publicly posting this information on the internet that is new. At this time, only employers with more than 250 workers would be required to comply with this new safety campaign. Experienced workers comp lawyers in New York applaud this proposal, saying that it can provide employees with the essential knowledge of their boss’ safety record. This empowers the worker to demand better safety compliance and the possibility of protecting themselves from hazardous conditions at work. Some employees or even the general public may even choose to avoid working with a company with an extensive list of workplace accidents. Consumers may also discover that their own safety may be at risk when hiring a company prone to injuries or illness. The accident database could provide the average citizen and worker with the details they need and deserve to know, in order to protect themselves from corporations that sometimes are negligent when it comes to safety regulations. Job accidents can vary from a worker that falls from scaffolding or a ladder to a machine operator who’s hand gets crushed in the machine. Job-associated illnesses can include lung diseases such as asthma, COPD or pulmonary edema; cancers, like squamous cell carcinoma; musculoskeletal problems, such as carpal tunnel syndrome; and chemical exposure at work, such as lead or gasses. This type of required reporting and posting of work-related illness and injury is also expected to prevent dangerous companies from denying a problem. Accountability and safety are expected to improve, according to public safety activists. See this article for more about the proposed injury and illness database.

Photo by U.S. Navy [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

October 13, 2013 News
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Two victims of dog attack in New York

New York – An elderly woman and her son were assaulted and bitten by a pit bull dog early this past week. Police had to shoot and kill the dog in order to stop the assault. The two injured victims were rushed to local hospital emergency rooms in Westchester, NY with multiple bites and injuries. The dog bites were being evaluated by the trauma doctors according to reports. Police say that the dog attack began when the family members began fighting and the dog became enraged. Public safety activists warn that this is another example about the dangers of some dogs and the need for additional safety precautions. They point to other victims that were assaulted by a dog as proof that some dog owners don’t properly protect the safety and health of the general public around them. Specifically, pit bulls are known to be very friendly and docile one minute, only to violently turn into an attack dog that can hurt, disable or even kill a victim when something upsets them. Other types of dogs can also be dangerous and need to be dealt with carefully. Activists note that dog owners often ignore basic leash laws or other safety guidelines, creating a hazardous condition for everyone else. Most areas of New York, and even the country, have laws in place that require a dog to be on a leash when out in public. Other pet safety guidelines commonly include a requirement to place a muzzle on a potentially dangerous dog that may bite others. Some dog owners try to downplay the potential dangers involved with owning these pets but repeated deadly dog attacks around the country tell a different story. Citizens that walk along the sidewalks and in the parks of many New York neighborhoods often complain about the safety hazard of dogs running around without a leash and attacking them or their children. A personal injury lawyer explains that this is not just a violation or the law but can leave the dog’s owner liable for injuries and emotional trauma caused to a victim. The owner can be held personally responsible and face a personal injury lawsuit if found guilty of negligence in properly securing their dog. Assaults by dogs have been well known to lead to death of victims both young and old. Wrongful death cases can also be brought against the dog owners, especially when negligence or neglect of safety has occurred. Read more about the recent dog bite attack here.

Photo by I, Jlantzy [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC-BY-2.5], via Wikimedia Commons

August 11, 2013 News
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Manhattan woman falls from apartment balcony

New York — A woman fell from the porch of her 16th floor apartment on the East Side of Manhattan, NY. The fall victim was reported to have been leaning on the railing when it broke away and caused her to plummet off the balcony. Reports show that after falling, she landed on the scaffolding of a construction site below, causing fatal injuries. Ambulance and rescue crews responded to the scene and tried reviving the woman from her accident injuries. Unfortunately, their efforts were unsuccessful in resuscitating the injury victim from a traumatic cardiac arrest. Trauma specialists believe the woman died of internal bleeding from the fall. They note that this type of fall may have caused a head injury with skull fracture but further testing will be necessary to determine if that was the case here. Investigators subsequently arrived on the scene to determine why the railing collapsed. According to building inspectors, the railings and balconies of New York City’s high-rise buildings are required to undergo safety inspections on a regular basis. Records show that this specific apartment building did file a safety inspection report for their porches and terraces. Accident investigators will now need to determine if the inspector missed a hazardous condition that led to the railing breaking under the woman’s weight. In the meantime, building department officials have warned residents to stay off of the balconies of their apartments until they are properly inspected according to current safety standards. Certified inspectors should personally investigate the safety of all aspects of the balcony and rails. Landlords are responsible to repair or replace any broken hardware or masonry in a timely fashion. A top accident lawyer in New York explains that the owner and management company may be held responsible for injury or death in a case of negligent maintenance. Read more about this deadly fall accident here.

Photo by Werner Vermaak (originally posted to Flickr as Immobilized Patient) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

July 23, 2013 News
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Amusement park accident involving dangerous roller coaster

A woman suffered a deadly fall from in a roller coaster accident this past week according to media reports. Investigations into the cause of her falling in the accident are ongoing but witnesses believe that the safety bar was broken. One bystander reported that the accident victim complained about the restraint system, saying that the mechanism wasn’t working properly just before the roller coaster car left the station. According to a specialist who inspects amusement park rides, safety issues and deaths like this most often occur when someone is negligent or makes a mistake. Community activists warn that better staff training and safety warnings are needed to prevent injuries or wrongful deaths at fairs and parks. Some worry that park owners don’t take safety seriously unless someone gets hurt or killed. Local safety advocates say that there are similar dangers lurking in the parks and fair grounds of the New York and New Jersey area. They note that local and state laws need to be scrutinized to make sure that public safety is maintained to the highest standards and to prevent accidents and injuries on rides like this. Various methods should be employed to prevent hazardous conditions that can lead to a fall or other accident. These include proper design of the rides, skilled installation of the machinery, vigilant inspections of the equipment according to manufacturer specifications and regular preventative maintenance. In addition, to prevent human error, extensive initial training and ongoing refresher training is needed for all workers involved with the rides. What concerns some observers in this serious accident is that the victim herself complained about the ride’s safety harness possibly being broken but no one inspected it before starting the ride. Some have questioned if this constituted negligence and whether or not negligent maintenance was involved. You can read more about the safety of amusement park rides here.

Photo by NeoUrfahraner (Self-published work by NeoUrfahraner) [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons