Construction work slows in Massachusetts, but does not come to a stop. In major cities like Boston, many construction workers are on-the-job year round. Considering that construction is already one of the most dangerous occupations, adding the hazards of winter weather can dramatically increase the risks. In Massachusetts, snow, ice,…
Year in and year out, on the job worker falls from high places are the number one cause of fatalities in the construction industry. Falls may occur due to faulty equipment, human error, slippery surfaces, safety violations and lack of proper personal protection equipment. In Massachusetts, and many other states…
Most Massachusetts workplace injuries are covered by workers’ compensation benefits. On-the-job accidents, such as chemical burns, falls from high places, inhalation of toxic fumes, being struck by an object, and work-vehicle accidents can result in serious physical injuries and even death. But what about emotional injuries? In Massachusetts, mental and emotional injuries…
Restaurant, food service, and food manufacturing workers have a higher risk of slip and fall accidents than workers in most other occupations. In fact, according to Liberty Mutual’s Workplace Safety Index, 45% of workers’ compensation claims in restaurants are due to falls. Many factors contribute to the high risk, including…
It’s an all-too-familiar scenario: an employer neglects to follow proper safety procedures and a worker is subsequently injured. Such was the case for an excavation worker in Longmeadow this summer. Davide Nascimento was working on the installation of a sewer line along Hazardville Road in Longmeadow, when a portion of…
In Massachusetts, when a worker is injured on-the-job, he or she is generally eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation is an insurance program designed to replace lost wages and cover the cost of medical expenses when an individual is injured in the course of employment. Certain medical costs may…
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces workplace safety regulations across the country. It is the employer’s responsibility to adhere to these regulations, but they don’t always take heed. Unfortunately, when employers violate these regulations, workers can get seriously injured and even die. An employee injured on-the-job is generally…
Discount retailer Big Lots Stores Inc. is facing $66,000 in fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) after an employee was injured at a store location in Danvers, Massachusetts. The store’s assistant manager wound up in the hospital after being struck by several falling boxes of patio furniture…
In a recent and unprecedented MA workers’ compensation case, a hospital employee was injured at work after learning of an upcoming promotion, but cannot receive benefits based on the higher wage. According to an administrative judge, the employee’s promotion was an absolute certainty, and the worker’s comp benefits should be…
Employees between the ages of 14 and 24 represent approximately 13% of the work force, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This means that at any given time, there is an average of 18 million young employees in the United States. The agency reports that, between…