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OSHA Criticizes Yale’s Safety Standards after Student Tragedy

August 29, 2011 by ·
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According the New York Daily News, a Yale University student was killed in an accident at a chemistry lab when her hair was drawn into a piece of lab machinery.  According to official reports, when fire firefighters responded around 2:30 a.m., they discovered the Michele Dufault sitting at a lathe with her hair entangled in the machine.  She apparently died after her hair was caught in the lathe, a rotating machine that spins rapidly to shape various materials. Ms. Dufault studied astronomy … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Worker Injury, Worker Rights, workers compensation, Workplace Accident

Hurricanes & Earthquakes, Oh My: Natural Disasters Turn Focus to Workers’ Compensation

August 28, 2011 by ·
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As Hurricane Irene dissolves into a tropical storm as it spirals toward Canada and Washington D.C. recovers from an unusual earthquake, it is important to remember that it is not only the initial events that can cause injury or death.  Often it is during the laborious clean-up and restoration process where workers can run into hazardous conditions. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has developed a list of hazards that workers can encounter when working in the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Worker Injury, Worker Rights, workers compensation, Workplace Accident

Dangerous Desk Jobs: Court Rules for Workers Comp Benefits in Desk Job Death

August 25, 2011 by ·
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In this Blog we often note the dangers of occupations that mix physical labor and heavy machinery.  Jobs in construction, maintenance, and agriculture present clear dangers to workers through mixing heavy physical demands and close proximity to powerful machinery.  However, a less noted danger exists for those who work supposedly safe “desk” jobs that require long hours in a sedentary position. Recently, a New Jersey appeals court ruled that the husband of an obese woman who developed a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Occupational Illness, Worker Injury, Worker Rights, workers compensation

Urgent: OSHA Fines Railway For Suspending Seattle Worker Who Reported Injury

August 24, 2011 by ·
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When reporting an injury and pursuing workers’ compensation, employees often encounter some obstacles in receiving their lawful benefit.  The last thing that should be on an employee’s mind is fear that their report of sustaining an injury should lead to any kind of retaliation. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration sent a strong message to employers that such behavior will not be tolerated when they fined a Seattle area company $300,000 for suspending a woman without pay for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Employment Discrimination, Retaliatory Termination, Worker Injury, Worker Rights

Workers Comp Worldwide: Injured Worker Prompts Fines in Australia

August 19, 2011 by ·
Safety Protocols and Worker Compensation

Weldlok and Fluid Tech Hyrdaulics Pty Ltd, two Australian companies, have been hit with fines after a worker suffered devastating injuries related to failures in safety protocols. Each state in Australia is covered by a different regional workers compensation system.  The WorkCover Authority of New South Wales is the government institution overseeing the protections of workers and ensuring that employers maintain safety standards.  WorkCover NSW enforces the occupational and safety law and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Worker Injury, Worker Rights, workers compensation
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