Georgia Workers Compensation Attorney Blog

Many workers -- regardless of industry -- can be at risk for a potential chemical spill, which could lead to a catastrophic Georgia work injury.

In situations where employees end up with a major injury due to chemical spills, it may be necessary for our Atlanta workers' compensation lawyers to assist you in your time of need. Major injuries typically require medical attention, which may be extremely expensive, especially given our nation's rising healthcare costs.

In cases like this, employers may attempt to cut corners in order to save money. This is unacceptable. Corporations are required to have insurance to cover for such accidents and yet they will attempt to fight a workers' compensation claim with the employee.

Every employee has the right to work in a safe environment and certainly one where precautions are taken to avoid major chemical accidents at work. And if accidents do happen, a workers' compensation claim may be necessary in order to prevent these accidents.

The Thomaston Times reminded us recently that emergency crews are among the type of employees who are at constant risk of being exposed to a chemical accident. Firefighters respond every day to traffic accidents where car batteries explode or fluids are leaking from a vehicle that has just been mangled. And in some cases, the cars are ready to explode when the liquids and heat from a running engine combine.

Emergency crews recently put together a scenario that helps train emergency crews how to handle a chemical disaster. Law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical responders, medical personnel and emergency management officials participated in the recent training.

The scenario involved a private vehicle crashing with a tanker that was carrying highly toxic hydrogen peroxide. Hospital staffers were tested on their ability to properly respond to a flood of patients in a short time. Emergency crews were required to respond to and treat patients at the scene by diagnosing their injuries and keeping them and themselves safe from the chemicals.

In another story, a Georgia college student was severely injured last April when the airbags in her vehicle deployed without a crash and flying metal severed her neck artery. The injuries required surgeries and caused her to suffer strokes, USA Today reports. This reminds us that those in the manufacturing fields, where chemicals are used every day, are especially at risk.

Chemicals may be used in that worker's profession or they may simply be in the office for other reasons. Either way, they can cause problems. A splash in the face can cause major eye trauma or blindness, while exposure to skin or breathing in certain chemicals can cause employees to have other forms of medical problems.

Companies must adhere to safety protocols and give employees proper training to prevent accidents. Many cases of at-work injuries happen because untrained workers cause accidents. With proper training, more workplace injuries in Georgia could be prevented.

Continue reading "Atlanta Chemical Spills Put Workers At Risk For Serious Injury" »

Imagine just simply doing your job -- a typical day at the office or on the job site, but everything changes in an instant when your eyes are injured by chemicals or something falling.

A person who loses his or her eyesight in a Georgia workplace accident can have their lives altered forever. This type of catastrophic work injury can require the need for a workers' compensation claim in Georgia in order for the worker to get the care they need to recover from such an ailment.

Our Georgia workers' compensation lawyers can't help but cringe when we hear about workers in our community who are injured and lose their eyesight. It is one of our five perhaps we most rely upon for survival, but we take it for granted.

For those who have had it and lost it, they know how important being able to see is. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 2,000 people each day in the United States suffer from a work-related eye injury.

Nearly one in three of these eye injuries require hospital emergency room visits and nearly five percent result in time lost at work. Most of these injuries are a result of airborne particles that cause major irritation or cuts that can cause permanent injuries. The most common are metal slivers, wood chips, cement chips and dust that break off from the use of power tools.

Critically important to preventing these injuries are the use of eye protection, including goggles or sturdy masks that cover the entire face, such as those used by welders. The eyes can also be exposed to catching infectious diseases, especially those working in laboratories, with animals and in health care settings. The eyes are particularly susceptible to catching illnesses.

Here are some tips to keeping your eyes safe at work:

• Create a safe work environment by minimizing debris, ensuring tools work correctly and workers know how to use them. Keep non-workers outside of the area.
• Look over safety hazards and identify where improvements can be made.
• Make sure the correct eye and face protection is used for the job at hand. Determine that the protection is in good condition and not susceptible to breaking while a power tool is in use.
• Take the right approach to keeping your eyes safe by cleaning off eye protection, the face, hair and forehead before removing the protection to ensure debris don't fall down; don't rub your eyes with dirty clothing and take steps to clean the eyewear regularly.
• Make sure there's an eye wash station nearby and available to all workers in case of emergency.

While work emergencies such as eye injuries are typically considered risks that construction workers take, these can happen at any business. Every office probably has some type of hazardous chemicals that can lead to injuries, so take proper precautions.

Continue reading "Eye Safety Critical at Georgia Work Sites in Order to Keep Employees Injury-Free" »

A Georgia company has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration for allegedly exposing workers to potential fall hazards on a construction site.

Georgia workers are entitled to work in a safe environment and their companies are required to make that happen. There are local, state and federal regulations they must follow in setting up work sites throughout the state. Failure to adhere to these rules can lead to major fines, as in this case.

But for some workers, their company's failure to adhere to these rules can not only cost fines, but lead to serious work injuries that can result in Georgia workers' compensation claims. Our Georgia work injury lawyers recognize that workers are injured on the job because their companies fail to properly keep them safe, exposing them to potentially deadly outcomes in the wrong situation.

In this case, Hutchinson Stucco Inc. of Brunswick, Georgia, was cited for 11 safety violations after OSHA officials inspected a work site. Workers were exposed to potential fall hazards, the government agency states, while they worked on a three-story building. The agency has proposed penalties of $62,200 for the alleged violations.

At issue in this case is an allegation that the company required workers to use a scaffolding system that officials said wasn't fully planked, had missing base plates and guardrails, was built by a person who wasn't fully trained or prepared to do it and which had no safety net.

OSHA officials allege that these offenses were repeat violations that resulted in $54,000 in fines to the company. On top of the violation regarding the scaffolding, authorities allege company officials didn't have a safety data sheet available to workers who were mixing and applying stucco cement. Workers were allowed to opt out of using head protection and employees who mixed chemicals weren't trained in hazardous chemicals.

OSHA officials cited the company for similar violations in April 2008, meaning they qualify as repeat violations. Two serious violations alleged by the agency relate to failing to have a ladder on the scaffolding to act as an exit and allowing their employees to work on scaffolding with planks directly attached to the roof without a fall protection system set up.

Workers were constructing a three-story building on St. Simons Island, the agency reports. The company has two weeks to comply, request a conference with OSHA's regional director or contest the findings before a panel.

These are serious violations because fall accidents from faulty scaffolding are fairly common. Construction workers are acutely aware that working on an unstable platform while trying to perform detail-oriented work is a bad combination. Scaffolding that can collapse can lead not only to serious injuries, but possible death. This is unacceptable. Companies must ensure their workers are protected from fall hazards on Georgia work sites.

Continue reading "Georgia Company Cited For Exposing Employees to Fall Hazards, Possible Georgia Work Accidents" »

A worker from Centerville recently lost his leg in a Georgia work accident. It all happened just after 6 a.m. when a vehicle struck the back of a garbage truck, which he was riding on the back of, according to The Sun News. The accident took place on South Houston Lake Road just north of Thomson Road.

The worker and the driver of the SUV that slammed into the back of the garbage truck were transported to Medical Center of Central Georgia. According to Centerville police Maj. Garrett Cooley, the worker's leg was amputated at the scene of the accident after he was pinned between the two vehicles. The truck is owned by Centerville Sanitation, which is the private company that is contracted by the city of Centerville. Officers are investigating the accident.

Our Georgia workers' compensation attorneys understand that solid waste collection continues to rank as the fifth most dangerous job in the state. This occupation produces an alarmingly high rate of fatalities every year. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 60 workers die in this field every year. Every year, the industry experienced more and more fatalities.

"NSWMA will be exploring the reasons for the increase in reported fatalities. NSWMA will redouble its efforts to prevent fatal accidents, including the release of an updated Safety Manual in 2012," said David Biderman, the Safety Director for the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA).

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) offers these tips to workers who work in solid waste management and on garbage trucks:

-Employees should ride only in the vehicle's cab or on the steps that have been specifically designed for riding.

-Employees should only ride on the steps when making short trips and when riding at a speed under 10 miles per hour.

-Stay in or on the vehicle until it has come to a complete stop.

-Drivers should make sure that there are no riders on the back of the truck when the vehicle is reversing, driving over 10 miles an hour or traveling farther than 0.2 miles.

-All riding steps should be slip-resistant surfaces.

-Riders should be provided with handles that can withstand 500 pounds.

-All vehicles should have warnings posted above or on the riding steps that remind riders of the safety rules.

-All vehicles should come with an audible warning device that sounds off when the vehicle is operating in reverse.

Additional safety tips from the National Solid Waste Management Association's (NSWMA) Manual of Recommended Safety Practices:

-Drivers and workers should keep visual contact with one another at all times, especially when backing up.

-Drivers should continuously check mirrors when reversing.

-Drivers should use the assistance of a spotter when backing up for help with blind spots.

-Drivers should use hand signals when reversing.

-Stop the truck if the spotter needs to move.

-Stop moving the vehicle if the spotter is lost.

-All workers should move away from the vehicle when it's backing up.

Motorists are asked to be cautious when driving near these vehicles. Solid waste management workers face high risks for traffic-related accidents and passing motorists need to practice extreme caution when driving near.

Continue reading "Georgia Work Accident Causes Centerville Worker His Leg" »