Does your job expose you to potentially dangerous chemicals? You’re not alone. OSHA estimates that 32 million Americans work with or are exposed to toxic chemicals. What’s more, many workers are unaware of potentially hazardous chemicals in their workplace. Common Workplace Chemicals Some workers may not realize they work with dangerous chemicals. These are some… Read More
Crane Accidents
It may seem as though Worcester is continually under construction. Cranes are a crucial tool to move heavy loads at major construction sites, but crane operation carries with it a significant hazard and risk. OSHA acknowledges that crane operation is hazardous: the administration predicts a one in 1,000 likelihood that a crane operator will become… Read More
What is Pecuniary Loss?
According to The United States Department of Labor, 1,157,410 workers in the United States experienced a nonfatal occupational injury or illness last year that caused them to miss work. If you were injured on the job, you have several options to pursue. You may try to seek out compensation to pay for medical bills and… Read More
Cold Weather Presents Unique Dangers for Construction Workers
Massachusetts construction workers are used to working in all sorts of weather conditions. But the recent blast of winter weather means that construction workers will face some dangerous conditions when going back to work. Most individuals are aware of the dangers present during periods of extreme heat, thunderstorms, and other extreme weather events. But periods… Read More
Workers’ Compensation Costs and the Effects on Society
The fundamental principle of our system of workers’ compensation is that no one should be subjected to a hazardous or overly unsafe work environment. Since we all recognize the realities of occupational hazards, this insurance is there to protect employees when injuries occur. Employers and their insurance companies are required by law to make payments to their… Read More
Workers’ Compensation: Words to Know in Massachusetts
All employees owe a duty to their employers to diligently perform their day-to-day tasks. All employers owe a duty to their employees to provide a safe and hazard-free work environment. Because accidents on the job are nearly inevitable, employers owe a duty to their employees to help them recover from work-related injuries. The law of… Read More
Inferences Can Help Prove a Workers’ Compensation Claim
Sometimes the cause of a workplace injury is clear: a fall from a height or a faulty electrical outlet, for instance. Other times, however, a workplace injury can result in more questions than answers. Such was the case in the recent Reviewing Board decision of John C. Barry’s Case. For the employee, answering all possible… Read More
FedEx Cited for Workplace Hazards
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited a Wilmington FedEx shipping center for exposing employees to injuries. OSHA personnel inspecting the site found that rotating parts on conveyer belt systems were not properly guarded. This left moving parts on the conveyor belt system exposed to employees, which could result in pinching or crushing injuries, concussions,… Read More
Massachusetts Employer Exposes Workers to Electrocution Hazards
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Massachusetts-based P. Gioioso & Sons Inc. with over $70,000 in fines for willfully exposing its employees to electrocution hazards. During a May 9 inspection of a Cambridge work site, OSHA inspectors found employees using a trench rod and a fiberglass pole with a metal end to lift… Read More
“Going and Coming” Rule in Massachusetts
In an unpublished decision issued just last week, the Appeals Court of Massachusetts clarified and affirmed the application of the “going and coming” rule in Massachusetts workers’ compensation cases. Summary of Kelbe’s Case In Kelbe’s Case, 2014 Mass. App. Unpub. LEXIS 735, Daniel Kelbe was an employee at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After clocking… Read More