Filing a workers’ compensation claim in Massachusetts can be a surprisingly daunting process. Legal paperwork is inherently complicated, but the challenges become even more pronounced when the individual is dealing with a serious work injury or illness. Unfortunately, many claimants make mistakes that can jeopardize their chances of receiving the…
Each year, the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents records over 60,000 workplace injuries and illnesses, highlighting the prevalence and impact of workplace accidents in the state. Workers’ compensation benefits play a huge role in aiding injured employees by covering essential costs such as medical expenses and lost wages, enabling them…
In Massachusetts and across the United States, ensuring workplace safety is a major responsibility for employers. Workplace injuries can have devastating consequences for employees, ranging from physical harm to financial strain. As such, employers are legally obligated to create and maintain a safe working environment, adhering to both federal regulations…
As the legal cannabis industry continues to grow, so have concerns about workplace safety and health. Tragically, a work-related asthma death in the cannabis industry has brought attention to the potential respiratory hazards that workers may face. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Occupational Safety…
Although construction and other labor-intensive jobs have an especially high incidence of work-related accidents, injuries occur in every type of job. In Massachusetts, employees across all industries, from healthcare and education to manufacturing and technology, are typically protected by workers’ compensation insurance. Coverage is Almost Universal Workers’ compensation is a…
Of all the hazards employees face every day on the job, one regularly appears near the top of the list: falls. From defective ladders to uneven surfaces, dangerous work conditions can result in serious falls. In 2020, 805 employees in the United States died in slips, trips, and falls and…
While anyone can get hurt on the job, certain professions are significantly more hazardous than others. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a total of 5,190 fatal work injuries occurred across industries and regions in the United States in 2021. The following jobs represent the 10 civilian occupations…
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspects tens of thousands of worksites a year. While typically under half of those inspections (44% in 2022) are programmed to target hazardous industries and operations, the rest result from specific events like employee complaints, injuries, fatalities, and referrals. Any safety violations encountered…
Dangerous jobs continued to hurt and kill workers in “alarming numbers” last year, according to a report by the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH) and the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Specifically, the report found that 51 workers suffered job-related fatalities in 2022. Although this represented a drop from the…
Falls are a leading cause of workplace fatalities and serious injuries across industries in the US. In 2021, 850 workers died from accidents involving slips, trips, and falls, with 680 dying specifically from falls to lower elevations. In addition to being one of the most significant causes of workplace deaths,…