Workers’ Compensation

With summer coming to a close, many New Jersey residents are looking forward to cooler temperatures. But the Bureau of Labor Statistics reminds some workers that they should still be aware of the dangers of heat exposure while working through the remaining warm weather months. According to the BLS, heat exposure contributed to 2,830 nonfatal workplace injuries and 37 worker deaths across the...

A New Jersey teenager getting a first job might not receive adequate safety training or supervision, which could increase the risk of workplace accidents. When the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health looked specifically at employees younger than 24, it found that 403 such workers were killed on the job in 2015, and people under age 18 accounted for 24 of the fatalities. An...

New Jersey residents who work in chemical manufacturing plants are routinely exposed to dangerous chemicals that can cause grave injuries or death. They are also at risk of falls. Both the workers and their employers should be aware of the common injuries that take place in chemical plants, why they occur and how to prevent them. Chemicals, which can be extremely flammable and toxic,...

For decades, worker safety advocates and unions have urged the federal government to create safety standards for construction workers in New Jersey and around the country who work with materials like sand and granite that contain silica. The inhalation of silica dust can lead to chronic lung problems and even lung cancer. Workplace safety regulations established by the Obama administration...

Many businesses across the United States use chains to guard ladder openings, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued a new rule requiring they be protected by self-closing gates. New Jersey employers should assess their workplaces to make sure they are in compliance with this regulation. According to safety experts, ladder chains don’t provide enough protection...

When people engage in the same types of motions repeatedly, they may develop musculoskeletal injuries. New Jersey workers in the manufacturing industry are at risk for developing repetitive stress injuries, and the most common are tendonitis in their arms, shoulders and wrists as well as carpal tunnel syndrome. The best methods of preventing injury are to have experts watch the movements of...

As a company grows, it is critical that ownership and top management ensure that employees stay safe while working as efficiently as possible. First, it is a good idea to assess any and all possible ways that an employee or another individual could get physically injured. For instance, extra precautions may need to be taken to protect a business traveler or to reduce the odds of a...

Many New Jersey residents who take multiple doses of various types of medications daily or who give them to someone else understand how complicated this can be. In fact, thousands of people are harmed each year because they took their medications incorrectly or skipped them altogether. One of the most important things to do when someone gets a new prescription is to double check the...

Employers in New Jersey and around the county that violate the federal government’s occupational health and safety laws will face far steeper fines after Aug. 1. The hike marks the first time that these fines have been increased in more than 20 years, and they will go up by more than 75 percent to account for inflation since 1990. The fines will now be adjusted annually according to the...

Fire may be the primary safety concern of welders in New Jersey workplaces, but dangers posed by the smoke and fumes associated with both fusion and pressure welding should not be overlooked. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration points out that welding fumes often contain toxic gases such as hydrogen fluoride and carbon monoxide as well as traces of metals like lead, beryllium and...