Articles Posted in Workers’ Compensation

Maryland employees and their employers understand the importance of keeping safety at the forefront while working on the job. Many laws have been put into place to protect not only the workers, but also the companies they work for. When a job-related injury or death occurs, victims and their families are covered under the workers’ compensation program.

An on-the-job death that occurred around noon on a Wednesday has left workers shaken. The construction crew was replacing sewer lines in another state when a man was crushed to death when the operator of an excavator had turned inside the cab to speak with a co worker who was on the ground. When the man inside the excavator turned back around, a piece of his clothing became stuck on a lever. This lever, which controls the bucket on the excavator, then engaged the bucket and pinned the worker, who was in the hole, to the excavated wall.

The 62-year-old male victim was pronounced dead by rescue workers. After speaking with the construction crew who was present at the scene at the time of the incident, police have not found anyone at fault. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration along with police are continuing to investigate.

Workplace accidents and injuries can have a serious impact on an employee and his or her family. Medical bills can pile up, and the loss of income due to the inability to work during the recovery period can lead to financial stresses for the injured and their loved ones. With the aid of the Maryland workers’ compensation program, workers who have suffered an injury while on the job may be eligible for financial compensation.

Around 2:30 a.m. on a recent Wednesday, dirt that was stacked at a construction site collapsed, trapping a male employee. When authorities arrived on the scene, the worker was buried chest deep and struggling to get out. It had appeared to the rescue team that the man’s co-workers had attempted to dig the man out themselves but were unsuccessful. With the appropriate gear, firefighters were able to secure the area and pull the man to safety.

The injured worker was transported to a local shock trauma facility for treatment and recovery. Firefighters say his injuries are not life-threatening and this incident could have had a devastating outcome. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was called to the scene, and they are continuing to investigate the incident.

Workplace injuries occur, especially in the manufacturing and construction sector. Most employers have in place standards, policies and procedures, and workplace training to help keep their employees safe. Some companies refuse to spend the extra time and money to invest in the necessary devices and training to help ensure that employees are safe while performing their duties. Should an injury occur while one is working on the job, the Maryland workers’ compensation program is in place to help.

A manufacturer in another state is facing heavy and expensive fines after The Occupational Safety and Health Administration completed its investigation into four separate injuries that have occurred at the company’s plant. In the last five years, 15 workers have suffered serious injuries that have led to amputations. Sadly, many, if not all, of these injuries were preventable, and the company now has been placed into OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

All the injuries sustained by the employees of the company that produces metal and plastic containers were avoidable, says OSHA. If the proper safeguards on the equipment was in use and the employees had been trained properly, the rate of these instances of injuries could have been much lower. Because the instances of injuries were similar, the company could be at fault for failing to eliminate or control the hazard, per OSHA law.

Employer’s and their workers understand the importance of safety on the job site. Many laws are in place to protect not only the employees but the companies and employers they work for. Should an on-the-job injury or fatality occur, the Maryland workers’ compensation insurance program is in place to help families and injured employees bridge the financial gap that not being able to work due to a work-related injury can cause.

An employee of a trucking company recently lost his life while working on the job. According to reports, the man was crushed by a piece of equipment that fell on him. The equipment in question is used to move the trailers around the lot that the employer owns.

First responders received the call for help around 1:30 a.m. The man was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The identity of the man has not been released, and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration continues to investigation.

Every job has a certain amount of risk for injury associated with it. Injuries that can keep employees from completing their duties can range from mental issues to physical ailments, both which have the possibility of hampering one’s ability to work or live a normal life. When a worker is injured while on the job, the Maryland workers’ compensation program is available to help provide financial assistance.

A man in another state is claiming that his son was permanently injured and his life subsequently altered when he contracted a virus while at work. The virus, hantavirus, can be contracted when people breathe in the excrement of mice. When the nesting materials that the mice use is moved, the virus can then become airborne and live for several days.

The father alleges that the park that his son worked for did not adequately train or house their employees. Because of this oversight, his son contracted the very serious and often fatal disease from the mice that lived in the cabin he inhabited. When the employee went to a supervisor to tell of the mice, he was handed some gloves and a mask and told to throw the droppings and nest away. As a result, the son caught hantavirus and now has permanent hearing loss in his left ear and difficulty walking due to partial paralysis in both legs and his feet.

Most Maryland business owners understand the importance of implementing and following safety procedures and protocols. Employee safety and the ability to feel safe and valued at work is important in keeping morale and productivity up. Some employers however, refuse to heed the laws and regulations set forth with regard to employee and workplace safety, which can lead to on the job accidents. When a worker is injured on the job, the workers’ compensation program is available to help.

A man in another state was recently taken by ambulance to a local hospital for injuries suffered while working. The 39-year-old was then flown to another hospital shortly after his arrival at the first. Officials cannot comment on the extent of injuries or exactly what happened except to say he suffered serious head lacerations, as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is opening an investigation.

The company that employs the worker has had other accidents occur at the facility within the last seven years. Two fires and a spill that dumped oil into a local river were among the incidents. The company has had to pay over $21,000 in fines.

A workplace injury can have serious repercussions on Maryland employees and their families. Medical bills can begin to pile up, and lost wages continue to increase the gap between money coming in and going out. In the most serious situations, some workers can never return to work, and others may lose their lives. The workers’ compensation program can help injured workers and their families lessen the financial gap that sustained workplace injuries can create.

A concrete wall retaining thousands of yards of dirt for a construction project in another state recently collapsed causing the death of one construction worker and injuring another. The man and another employee were walking in front of the wall when it caved, trapping one worker and striking the second. Authorities were called to the scene around 3:49 p.m.

A collapse team arrived shortly after the initial call for help and attempted to rescue the man who was trapped under the dirt, but determined about 35 minutes into searching and finally locating the man that the possibility of a second collapse was highly likely. Medics determined that the trapped man was dead, and the collapse team changed their rescue mission to a recovery effort. They extracted the man’s body around 5:16 p.m. The second employee was transported to a local hospital and treated for broken extremities.

Maryland employees and their the companies they work for usually understand the importance of safety in the workplace. Many laws and guidelines are in place to protect not only the workers, but also the employers. Trainings are implemented to educate workers on how to spot and avoid injury. When a work related accident or death occurs, victims and their surviving families are covered under the workers’ compensation benefits program. This program is in place to financially help workers when there is a loss of income resulting from the inability to work due to an on-the-job injury.

Authorities were called to the scene of a workplace accident in another state around 5:25 a.m. An employee had been reported injured and in need of immediate assistance. The 47-year-old was crushed by a piece of heavy machinery, which is part of a processing line where the company makes shipping products.

Upon arrival, emergency workers found that co-workers of the worker had already lifted the machinery off of the deceased man. An autopsy later reported the cause of death as traumatic asphyxiation. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is still investigating.

Construction companies have many guidelines and procedures in place to ensure the safety of workers while on the job site. The best placed practices and procedures will often lead to a decrease in workplace injuries, but accidents can and do still happen. When an on-the job injury occurs, workers and their families have the benefit of the Maryland workers’ compensation program to help shorten the financial gap the inability to bring home a pay check can create.

A steel building in another state that had been destroyed by a fire the previous summer was being dismantled by a construction company. As the company began the demolition in December, a 58-year-old construction worker was killed by a section of steel that went through the cab of the excavator he was operating on the job site. The incident was reported by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration as being possible due to events that took place on site the day prior.

The report that followed the investigation by OSHA cited the demolition of the building to be done in such a way that overstressed the steel. Very specific cuts were made at the base of three support columns that left the fourth column bearing three times the limit of weight for that grade of steel. The company was found by OSHA to be in serious violation of regulations for the proper removal of steel construction and fined $8,149.

Working with one’s hands in the field as a skilled laborer has been one of demand with every construction boom. Along with the increasing need for new locations to house, feed and clothe Maryland residents, the workers’ compensation insurance program has seen an increase in claims due to on-the-job injury. These sometimes preventable injuries have caused many city, state and national boards to strengthen and implement more stringent laws and practices to protect employees.

A company in another state has been barred from doing any more work within city limits after a floor collapse at one of its construction locations. Three workers were injured when a poorly constructed third floor collapsed. Building materials were placed on the floor under instruction from the site superintendent before an engineer was able to assess its stability and safety.

The poor construction and instability coupled with the weight of the materials caused the floor to fall in upon itself and crash through the first and second floors and through to the basement. The three workers who were in basement became trapped. Reports following the accident indicated serious injury.