July 31, 2018 Heat Related Illnesses Summer is in full force in Philadelphia and the temperatures have been hot! Recent weather conditions for heat and humidity have broken long standing records, making this summer one of the hottest ever. For construction workers, heat and high temperatures can cause heat stroke and other life-threatening conditions. Exposure to sun, high heat, and stifling … Read More »
July 27, 2018 Workers Still Risk Chemical Exposure The Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is once again calling on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, to enact effective safety standards to protect workers from deadly and injury-causing combustible dust-related fires and explosions in the workplace. What is Combustible Dust? Combustible dust is any solid material that contains separate particles and/or pieces – … Read More »
July 25, 2018 Important Changes to Workers’ Compensation Law As we wrote last summer, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania issued a significant decision for injured workers. It ruled that the Impairment Rating Evaluation (“IRE”) section of the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act was unconstitutional. 500 Weeks or Ten Year Limit on Workers’ Compensation is Unconstitutional You may have heard of the “500 weeks” or “10 … Read More »
July 18, 2018 Unions Face Serious Trouble As the result of a recent United States Supreme Court decision, public employee unions across the country are in danger of disappearing altogether, and workers may face serious health and safety risks. Called the Janus decision, the ruling is likely to leave working individuals without numerous protections that Union representation provided them. How do Unions … Read More »
July 17, 2018 Electrical Accidents Electrical accidents often leave victims with serious and sometimes fatal injuries. Electricians are at the highest risk for these types of injuries; but workers in all types of occupations, including construction workers, those in the manufacturing industry, and even office workers may also be at risk. Technology has filtered into every workplace, making the need … Read More »
July 6, 2018 Insect Borne Illnesses and Workers According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there has been a sizable increase in the number of insect-borne illnesses – and individuals who work outdoors are at a particularly high risk for exposure. Insect borne illnesses can inflict mild-to-severe symptoms, so taking preventative steps as well as knowing what signs … Read More »
July 5, 2018 Warm Weather Work Safety The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that every year, thousands of workers experience illnesses, injuries and even death resulting from cases of occupational heat exposure. Heat exposure is a known work-related hazard (particularly for outdoor workers), which means employers are legally responsible for implementing comprehensive safety programs that address – and guard against … Read More »
June 24, 2018 OSHA’s Heat Awareness Campaign Drink Water, Rest Up and Avoid the Sun The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) first launched its campaign “Water. Rest. Shade.” in 2011. In order to increase worker safety and lower the number of preventable heat-related illnesses and deaths, the annual campaign advocates for outreach events, educational sessions and training sessions specifically aimed … Read More »
June 23, 2018 Pennsylvania: Injured Workers and Opioids With the goal of striking a balance between abuses by medical professionals who overprescribe opioids to injured workers and the rights of the injured workers themselves to obtain safe and effective medical care, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf recently vetoed a bill that prioritized profits over people. What is Senate Bill 936 and Why Did Governor … Read More »
