Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Lawyer Blog

August 3, 2023

MA Workers Dying in Alarming Numbers, Report Finds

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 Commonwealth’s 62 workplace deaths in 2021, the report noted that many such fatalities are preventable.

Workplace Injuries and Deaths in Massachusetts

Published in April, the report showed that 39 workers died of traumatic work injuries and 12 died of work-related disease in 2022. The true numbers may be much higher, however, because the data does not include all people who died after contracting COVID on the job. In addition, injuries and illnesses are not always reported or properly recorded.

June 21, 2023

OSHA Launches New Program to Prevent Falls at Work

by Altman & Altman

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, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls are also one of the most preventable.

As a result, OSHA recently announced a new National Emphasis Program (NEP) to reduce or eliminate injuries and fatalities associated with falls. NEPs are special temporary programs that target particular hazards or hazardous industries. To accomplish its fall prevention goals, OSHA will use a combination of enforcement, employer outreach, and compliance assistance.

Which Industries Will OSHA Target?

August 8, 2022

Is It Too Late to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Massachusetts?

by Altman & Altman

If you thought you missed your chance to file a Massachusetts workers’ comp claim, you may be in luck: the Commonwealth has one of the longest workers’ compensation time limits in the nation. Unlike Michigan, where claims must be filed within two years of the injury, or Arizona, which has a one-year statute of limitations, Massachusetts allows you to file within four years of the date you learned your injury was job related. In the case of a fatal work injury, eligible dependents can file workers’ compensation death benefit claims within four years of the employee’s date of death.

What Causes Delayed Filings of Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Claims?

In order to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits in Massachusetts, you must be disabled for five full or partial calendar days (not necessarily consecutive). At that point, your employer should notify the Department of Industrial Accidents (DIA) of your injury. If you are disabled for less than five days, your employer can file a “medical only” claim with their insurance company.

June 22, 2022

OSHA Worksite Safety Inspections in Massachusetts

by Altman & Altman

Designed to promote employee health and safety, OSHA standards aim to reduce injuries from foreseeable hazards in the workplace. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulations govern over 130 million workers at 8 million worksites across the United States. While covered employers should always follow OSHA standards, inspections happen only occasionally, such as when a severe injury occurs, someone files a complaint, or a work site has high rates of injury or is part of a high-hazard industry.

Most Common Massachusetts Workplace OSHA Violations of 2021

Each year, the federal agency publishes a list of the 10 most frequently cited OSHA standards following inspections. According to OSHA, far too many preventable workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths are related to these top 10 standards.

May 24, 2022

Amazon Warehouse Workplace Accidents Are A Common Occurrence – We Can Help.

by Altman & Altman

The Injury Machine? Workplace Accidents at Amazon Warehouses

Amazon is the largest online retailer in the world and the second-largest employer in the country. Unfortunately, it also leads the field in a less favorable category: warehouse injuries.

Amazon workers suffer serious injuries at over twice the rate of other warehouse employees, according to a report by the Strategic Organizing Center (SOC). While Amazon employs one-third of all the warehouse workers in the U.S., it is responsible for nearly half of all warehouse injuries.

May 4, 2022

Compensation for Workplace Electrocution Accidents in Massachusetts

by Altman & Altman

Electricity is a powerful force. In the wrong circumstances, anyone who comes in contact with it can be hurt or even killed. But for workers in certain industries, accidental electrocution is an occupational hazard faced every day.

Around 2,200 electrical injuries annually force U.S. workers to take time off the job. What’s worse, an average of 175 workers die each year from injuries caused by electrocution. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, “contact with/exposure to electric current” is the seventh leading cause of workplace fatalities.

Industries with High Rates of Electrocution Injury

May 4, 2022

Repetitive Movement Injuries at Work

by Altman & Altman

When you think about serious job-related injuries, what comes to mind? Transportation accidents? Trips and falls? Fires and explosions? While all of those do occur, one of the most common causes of workplace injury is much less dramatic: repetitive movement.

Simply performing the same task over and over can result in damaged nerves, tendons, muscles, and joints. And the impact on the U.S. workforce is considerable. Injuries caused by repetitive motions cost employers an estimated $20 billion annually in workers’ compensation.

Types of Repetitive Movement Injuries at Work

August 27, 2020

What are the major causes of excavator injuries at construction sites in Massachusetts?

by Altman & Altman

Excavator Injuries

Between 1992 and 2000, the National Institute for Occupation Safety and Health (NIOSH) identified 346 deaths caused by excavators or backhoe loaders in the united states. The data found that the most common causes of injury were

Being struck by the machine or parts of the machine while the machine was in motion; and

August 11, 2020

Hearing loss caused by a workers compensation injury

by Altman & Altman

Hearing loss can be detrimental to a person’s quality of life. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), around 30 million people are exposed to chemicals dangerous to their ears at work and another 22 million are exposed to dangerous levels of noise. When workers are exposed over a long period of time this can result in permanent hearing damage and tinnitus. OSHA limits exposure to loud noises in the workplace to curb its negative effects. Workers should be exposed to noise levels above 85 decibels for no more than eight hours. They should also use protective devices in their ears to curb any hearing damage at this noise level. The cost of an injury you endure while trying to get your job done should not fall on you. If you experience hearing loss or tinnitus that you believe is related to hazardous noise levels at work, you may be entitled to compensation.

Who is at risk?

As humans, we are all vulnerable to hearing loss in loud environments. Some professions carry greater risks than others.

August 11, 2020

What happens when OSHA gets involved in a construction accident case

by Altman & Altman

What is OSHA?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates workplace safety on construction sites. Officials conduct inspections on worksites to enforce administration standards and publish reports detailing workplace safety. OSHA is a federal agency, but most states collaborate with it to create state-specific plans. These states create standards that apply to federal and state workers. States that choose not to create independent plans must comply with federal OSHA standards. These only apply to private workers. Massachusetts does not have a state plan with OSHA, therefore OSHA federal regulations apply to private workers.

What happens when OSHA gets involved in a construction accident?

When an accident occurs on a construction worksite, workers typically file a claim for workers compensation. This is a no-fault remedy where no negligence needs to be shown for a worker to recover. In other words, even if your employer used the utmost care, you can still recover from the workers compensation fund. OSHA representatives may come to a worksite following an accident to determine if the employer followed the standards of the administration. A violation of OSHA standards can be strong evidence of negligence on the part of your employer. A court is more likely to find the employer at fault for the workers injury, which will allow them to recover in a personal injury case in addition to workers compensation.

The depth of OSHA investigations typically depends on the seriousness of the accident. Any incident that results in any fatality or leads to the hospitalization of multiple workers is considered high priority. Employers are required to report serious accidents to OSHA within eight hours. These incidents will often prompt an immediate investigation. Inspectors will begin by researching any history of accidents on the worksite and review the employer’s operations. Representatives will set up a phone interviews with the employer and will then visit the site and document any hazards.

Workers may also file a written complaint with OSHA if they believe their employer is not following standards. OSHA staff will determine if the complaint is worth inspecting. They will evaluate the likelihood that there is a violation of their standards or another hazard. If OSHA has reason to know that the employer is fixing the hazard, they may not find it necessary to investigate. Inspections will often be limited to hazards listed in the complaint, but other readily observable violations may be recorded as well. Because of the way it prioritizes reports, it may take a while for OSHA to investigate. Continue reading