Lincoln Personal Injury Lawyer - Workplace Injuries

Unions say electrical hazards high for workers

Staff Writer — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 13:42:08 GMT

UNI global union reports that there has been an recent increase in electrocution deaths among technicians at American companies, and many union leaders are pushing for employers to offer greater protection against these worksite injuries and deaths.

CWA and the IBEW have met with Verizon, AT&T and others to discuss and encourage positive changes in training, education, equipment and other areas. Their hope is that these changes will decrease the number of electrocutions among workers who spend much of their time near power lines.

An article from the UNI global union's Web site reports:

Dave LeGrande, CWA safety and health director, said CWA fears the risk is growing in part because employers are cutting costs by hiring fewer workers and pushing existing technicians to work faster. "We are concerned that management's productivity demands are causing some workers to cut corners and not adhere to safety procedures," he said.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

ASSE to discuss hexavalent chromium standard

Staff Writer — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 13:22:36 GMT

A report from Des Plaines, Illinois, says that The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) will host a discussion of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Healthy Administration (OSHA) Hexavalent Chromium Standard this month.

OSHA created the standard to improve the safety, health and environmental profession. Hexavalent chromium (CR(VI)) exposure can be detrimental to workers' health in a variety of industries, especially those in which workers have contact with pigments, welding metals (especially stainless steel), wood preservation, chrome, and more.

The presentation will include the following:

David O'Connor from the OSHA Directorate of Standards and Guidance will give a sixty-minute overview about the standard, its requirements and how it must be implemented by SH&E professionals. There will be a question and answer session following the presentation.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

State trooper's family in worker's comp court battle

Staff Writer — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 09:56:29 GMT

The family of a state trooper who committed suicide after the Norfolk Bank shootings in 2002 is nearing a heated court battle over worker's comp claims.

A report from ktiv.com News Channel 4 details the story:

Zach committed suicide the day after five people were shot to death inside a Norfolk bank in September 2002.
He'd pulled over one of the bank shooters, Erick Vela, the week before the killings. But because Zach incorrectly entered the serial number of a concealed weapon he found, he didn't know it was stolen.
That gun wasn't used in the murders, but Zach believed a weapons charge might have kept Vela from taking part.

Opponents of the suit claim that the trooper killed himself out of remorse over a mistake he made. The court's decision in this case could affect worker's comp law for the state of Nebraska.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Asbestos Lawsuit Results In $16.4 Million Award

Staff Writer — Tue, 09 May 2006 14:38:37 GMT

New Jersey injury lawyer Ricky Bagolie notes that his firm represented Asbestos victims who were part of a $16.4 million award. The victims suffered injuries as a result of being exposed to asbestos during their careers with the Long Island Railroad (LIRR).

During the trial, the company noted that dust masks were available to the workers and used that fact as part of their defense. However, their own Asbestos Awareness program acknowledged that the mask provided inadequate protection against asbestos fibers.

The jury found that the railroad knew about the dangers of asbestos dust beginning in the 1930s and failed warn their workers of the dangers and failed to protect them from the deadly fibers.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer