Construction

Orlando Resort Construction Accident Kills 2

Published on: October 18, 2018 | O'Connor Law

In the United States, there are men and women who work hard every day to support themselves and their families. These men and women work long hours under dangerous working conditions in order to make a decent living. When people are working under unsafe working conditions, they are at risk of being severely injured or even killed. Every year, workers are killed on the job while working under harsh conditions. Many people are losing friends and loved ones due to unsafe working environments. Losing a loved one can cause tremendous hardship to many families, especially if that loved one is the family financial provider.

In August of 2018, two construction workers were killed while working on the job in Orlando, Florida. The incident happened at the site of the planned JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort, a $282 million project with 516 rooms from Marriott International that has been under construction. These two workers fell to their deaths after the scaffolding, which they were standing on, collapsed. A few other workers almost died when scaffolding collapsed but they were fortunate to be saved by the assistance of their co-workers. According to the investigation, “it is not clear why the scaffolding gave away.” These workers were clearly working under very unsafe working conditions.

The two workers who were killed this incident died with no fault of their own. The two men who were killed could have been husbands or fathers who were trying to make money to support their families. No wife or child should have to be told that their loved has been killed in a work accident such as this.

5th Annual National Safety Stand-Down Construction Fall Prevention Campaign

Published on: April 26, 2018 | O'Connor Law

Falls from an elevated position continue to the leading cause of death for construction employees. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 37% (370 out of 991) of construction fatalities recorded in 2016 were caused by a fall. The overarching goal of the National Safety Stand-Down campaign is to raise fall hazard awareness across the country in an effort to eliminate fall fatalities and injuries.

Even though falls are the leading cause of construction fatalities, those falls are preventable. The use of hazard elimination, proper planning, training, and use of proper fall protection equipment can decrease and even eliminate these alarming statistics.

The term “safety stand-down” is used to describe an event when normal work is paused and so the entire work site can focus on a specific work safety issue.

National Work Zone Awareness Week Starts April 9th

Published on: April 5, 2018 | O'Connor Law

National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is a campaign held every year in the spring at the beginning of construction season to bring national attention to motorist and worker safety issues and encourage safe driving through highway work zones. The key message is for drivers to use extra caution in work zones. The campaign is a partnership between state departments of transportation, national road safety organizations, government agencies, private companies, and individuals.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, there were 136 construction worker deaths caused by roadway incidents involving motor vehicles in 2015. Being struck by a vehicle is a leading cause of fatalities for roadway construction workers and the ultimate goal of this campaign is to eliminate the risks that cause those deadly accidents.

The outlined goals for NWZAW efforts:

Williamsport Company Charged by OSHA for Employee’s 2015 Death

Published on: March 14, 2018 | O'Connor Law

Federal investigators have charged a Williamsport bridge contractor in a trench collapse in 2015 that led to the death of one of its employees. The employee was killed when he was crushed by dirt at a jobsite near Millville in Columbia County, PA.

Susquehanna Supply Company was charged Tuesday with violating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirement that resulted in the death. Among those OSHA guidelines was a requirement that trenches have an adequate protective system, such as sloped walls.

The company has signed a plea agreement that includes a provision for a $250,000 fine.

March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month

Published on: March 1, 2018 | O'Connor Law

Eye injuries are very common in the workplace. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that every day about 2,000 U.S. workers suffer work-related eye injuries that require some form of medical treatment. However, eye specialists and safety experts believe the proper eye protection can decrease the severity or even prevent 90% of these injuries.

During Workplace Eye Wellness Month, the American Academy of Ophthalmology hopes to spread awareness to employers and workers and promote the importance of wearing certified and approved eye protection in the workplace. Maintaining your vision must be a top priority at your job. Damage to the eye is often an irreversible injury. So preventing it can avoid a lifetime of struggling with a serious and life-altering disorder.

Eye safety is something that should be taken seriously in all professions. Even those working in an office setting can be subjected to vision damage. Office workers are most at risk of what is called Digital Eye Strain. This is eye and vision-related problems that result from lengthy computer, tablet, cell phone, and other electronic device use.

Forklift Safety in the Workplace

Published on: February 27, 2018 | O'Connor Law

Forklifts are widely used in many industries. Warehouses, distribution centers, production facilities, and construction sites use forklifts to complete numerous tasks primarily moving heavy and large products.

Since they are used so often (OSHA estimates there are 1.5 million lift operators in the United States) and are often used to move heavy objects, they are a constant danger to all workers on the job site. The operators, bystanders, and pedestrians are all at risk of injury in an area with forklift traffic.

According to OSHA, there is an estimated 97,000 injuries (35,000 serious and 62,000 non-serious) involving forklifts that occur annually. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 96 U.S. workers were killed in incidents involving forklifts in 2015. The most common types of forklift related fatalities are overturns and struck-by incidents.

Lifting Injuries are one of the Most Common Suffered in the Workplace

Published on: February 12, 2018 | O'Connor Law

Lifting and carrying heavy objects is one of the leading causes of injury in the workplace. It affects workers in almost every industry, not only the “blue collar” ones. Lifting injuries can affect all areas of your body especially your back, neck, shoulders, and hands.

There are 2 types of injuries when it comes to lifting/carrying, sudden trauma and repetitive. A sudden trauma injury is one that comes about quickly and unexpectedly. It can occur even if it is only the first time you ever lifted a heavy object. Repetitive injuries are caused by overuse/stress on the muscles and tissues in the body over the course of time. This is more likely to occur if your job requires you to lift a lot during your workday. Many of these injuries are difficult or even impossible to avoid but there are many steps you can take to help avoid self-inflicting these work injuries.

Tips for Safe Lifting and Carrying

As your Age Increases so Does your Risk of a Fatal Workplace Injury

Published on: February 1, 2018 | O'Connor Law

The percentage of older workers continues to rise as more and more Americans work past the traditional retirement age of 65. This also means that older workers are experiencing more and more serious workplace injuries. Many would argue that workers should just simply retire when they reach 65 to avoid the increased risk. However this isn’t financially feasible for many people. As the life expectancy is on the rise so is the amount of savings people need to fund their retirement. That forces many individuals to stay on the job longer than they would have in the past. 25% of Pennsylvania’s workforce are aged 55 or older.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers age 55 and older accounted for 36% of all fatally injured workers in 2016 even though that age group only made up 23% of the workforce that year. The 1,848 deaths of workers 55 and older in 2016 is the highest ever recorded for that age group since the reporting of this national data began in 1992. Even though younger workers have proportionately the same number of job accidents, they experience significantly lower death rates. The fatality rate for workers age 65 and older was 9.6 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers compared to 3.6 for younger workers.

Some of the reasons for older workers suffering serious even fatal injuries on the job include weaker bones and muscles, diminishing eyesight and hearing, slower reaction times, and a declining sense of balance making them a higher risk of falls.

Backover Accidents: Danger at Worksites

Published on: January 17, 2018 | O'Connor Law

A backover incident occurs when a vehicle is backing up and hits a worker who is standing, walking, or kneeling behind the vehicle. Backover fatalities and injuries are most prevalent in the construction industry. While many people only think of construction workers being struck by passing motorists, road workers are also at risk of being killed or seriously injured by construction vehicles. The biggest contributing cause to backover accidents is that rearview mirrors or backup cameras on vehicles have blind spots. With large vehicles such as dump drunks commonly found on construction sites those blind spots are significantly larger than your everyday car.

These incidents can be prevented but still happen far too often. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 326 backover fatalities from 2011 to 2015. Dump trucks were the construction vehicle involved in the most backover accidents. With the right training, proper equipment, and maintenance, backover injuries can be avoided. The following are some of the common causes of backover accidents, and some tips on how they can be prevented.

How do backover accidents occur?

OSHA Fines Film Company for “The Walking Dead” Stuntman’s Death

Published on: January 9, 2018 | O'Connor Law

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said in a news release that it has issued a “serious citation” to Stalwart Films LLC. OSHA said it proposed the maximum allowable fine of $12,675 for “failure to provide adequate protection from fall hazards” while filming the popular television show, “The Walking Dead.”

John Bernecker, the 33 year old stuntman, died last summer from injuries suffered in a 20 foot fall on the set in Georgia.

The citation read that “the employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm in that employees were exposed to a fall hazard.” The citation also gave some feasible and acceptable means of reducing the fall hazard including reducing the fall distance, using a freefall catch system, and providing and requiring the use of appropriate personal protective equipment.