Every year, numerous New York residents suffer injuries while on the job. For many of them, workplace safety violations are to blame. If you were hurt at work and you believe your injury was the result of a workplace safety violation, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your losses.There are two ways you may go about seeking relief after suffering an injury on the job. First, you may file for workers' compensation benefits. You only have a short window of time to file for these benefits, and there are no guarantees that your request will receive approval. Legal counsel can help you with your filing so that it is submitted on time and error-free. If your claim is denied, your attorney may be able to help you appeal [...]

When one thinks about dangerous places to work, hospitals do not usually come to mind. The truth is, however, that those who work at such medical facilities in New York and elsewhere, particularly nursing staff, often experience workplace injuries, many of which go unreported. There are several ways that nurses may be hurt while on the job; one not often talked about is violence in the workplace.The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has identified four different types of violence that occur in hospital settings. Type one involves a person with criminal intent. Type two involves patients or their family members. Type three has to do with violence among employees. Finally, type four is personal relationship violence.It is believed that type two is the most common kind of violence [...]

According to information published online recently by a national magazine, loggers and those in commercial fishing continue to have the most dangerous occupations, at least with respect to fatalities. Roofers and garbage collectors also statistically have jobs which are especially risky.It may also come as little surprise to those in the New City area and other parts of New York City's surrounding communities that incidents related to transportation, such as car accidents and accidents involving other motor vehicles, are the most common cause of workplace fatalities.Of the almost 4,400 work-related deaths reported across the country in 2017 about 2,100, almost half, involved accidents related to transportation. By contrast, the second most common cause of fatalities was falling, with falls being responsible for almost 900 deaths. Contact with dangerous objects or [...]

Many people who live in Upper Manhattan, the Bronx, and the suburban counties of Rockland, Orange, and Westchester work in jobs that are known to be potentially dangerous and even deadly. In fact, many may work in professions that, at least as of 2017, ranked as the deadliest in the country.For example, given New York's proximity to the coast, many residents may be employed in the fishing industry. According to statistics, the fishing industry experiences almost 100 deaths per 100,000 full-time employees, making it the deadliest profession in the country. The second most dangerous job is logging, with over 84 deaths per 100,000 employees.What may be of interest to some readers is that pilots of airplanes are in the third most dangerous lines of work. In fairness, though, the fatality [...]

One of the most serious injuries a worker in New City or other parts of Rockland County or Orange County faces is the possibility of having a part of his body amputated. While the loss of a whole arm or leg is the most serious type of amputation, a worker can also easily lose a finger or a foot while doing his job. In any event, all amputations are serious affairs and will require some permanent changes in a person's lifestyle.Machinery in particular has the potential for causing an accidental amputation. Particularly common at New York construction sites and industrial facilities, workers frequently have to use machines that cut, turn or bend both rapidly and powerfully. In just a split second, these machines can amputate a worker's limb.Employers in New [...]

Some people in the New City, New York, area or one of the other suburbs may have heard about the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA. Still, they may not fully understand what this agency does and what its role in workplace safety is.Many if not most employers in the area are subject to federal safety regulations designed to keep American workers safe and healthy as they do what they need to do to put bread on the table. OSHA is responsible for enforcing these regulations.Otherwise, some employers may flat out try to ignore the rules in the interest of cost-savings, while others may just not give the rules the attention that they truly deserve until it is too late.When it comes to a serious workplace accident, employers [...]

According to the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the potency of the synthetic opioid fentanyl is estimated at 50 times the strength of heroin. This threatens the workplace safety of all first responders such as emergency medical personnel, law enforcement, rescue workers, firefighters and even border patrol officials. In New York, these workers respond to tens of thousands of calls, any one of which could involve a fentanyl overdose or other potential exposure to this opioid.The BJA recently released a video to make first responders aware of the dangers of fentanyl exposure, and to show them the precautions they can take in circumstances in which fentanyl exposure might occur. It also explains what these workers should do if they have to deal with individuals that show signs of opioid impairment. Typical [...]

Every work environment has its own unique hazards, even offices. Although administrative buildings in New York might pose different dangers than those to which construction workers and employees in the manufacturing industry are exposed, workplace safety is as important. When someone's head is struck against a filing cabinet in a fall in an office, it can lead to the same type of brain injury a construction worker might suffer when hitting his or her head against a concrete pillar.Falls are as prevalent in offices as in other industries and are also just as preventable. Along with the risk of concussions or brain injuries, falls can lead to a variety of bone fractures - all of which are injuries that could cause temporary disability. However, adequate attention to housekeeping can prevent [...]

Authorities reported concern over the number of fatalities that are reported in the sanitation industry. According to the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), 132 lives were lost in work-related accidents in 2017. The New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health says non-compliance with workplace safety gives rise to many of the injuries and fatalities in this industry.SWANA says fatalities occurred during waste collection, at landfills, transfer stations, Material Recovery Facilities and other locations. Furthermore, many workers suffer strains, sprains and other overexertion injuries from handling heavy loads and jumping off trucks. Exposure to hazardous materials is another one of the risks sanitation workers face.Safety authorities suggest sanitation workers should only ride inside the cab of the vehicle or only on steps designed for that purpose, and never [...]

Tree workers in New York and elsewhere face multiple occupational hazards. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, employers in all industries must provide safe work environments. Their responsibilities include providing employees with adequate training in workplace safety to prepare them for the hazard they will face while doing their jobs.One of the most significant dangers for tree workers is the fact that they often work near overhead power cables. There are strict regulations about the distance that must be clear between workers and power lines. However, workers who are not informed about the dangers, or those who have become complacent and less alert, might make contact with energized power lines.A 39-year-old tree trimmer reportedly lost his life on a recent Monday while he was cutting a tree in [...]