On behalf of Grossinger Gordon Vatz, L.L.P. posted in Workplace Injuries on Thursday, May 16, 2013
It is essential that employees in Pittsburgh and across Pennsylvania feel like they are as safe as possible when they go to work each day. Every employer has the responsibility to fulfill this expectation, to a reasonable extent, for its employees. When a workplace is unsafe, it can lead to unnecessarily injured workers and, in turn, workers' compensation claims.
Unsafe work conditions can arise from any number of conditions in the workplace. The workplace may be unsafe due to a lack of appropriate safety training, equipment that is not appropriately maintained, inadequate adherence to required safety measures and much more. Recently, employees at Philadelphia International Airport have expressed their concerns about the unsafe work conditions in which they execute their daily responsibilities.
On behalf of Grossinger Gordon Vatz, L.L.P. posted in Construction Workers’ Accidents on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The majority of employers in Pennsylvania are required to carry workers' compensation insurance to cover compensation that is due in the event that one of their employees is injured on the job. However, due to the varying nature of different jobs, some employers may be likely to see the benefits of this insurance more than others.
Working on a roadside construction project while cars speed past is inherently dangerous, so it is important that employers in this profession have the appropriate insurance. This is exemplified by a recent incident involving a PennDOT worker who suffered injuries after a roadside construction site accident.
On behalf of Grossinger Gordon Vatz, L.L.P. posted in Workers’ Compensation on Tuesday, April 30, 2013
There are many types of insurance available to employers in Pennsylvania. Some are optional and others are required. Workers' compensation insurance is one type that is required for the majority of employers in Pennsylvania. When an employer does not carry this insurance, they may face penalties.
The president of a truck company in Pennsylvania was recently charged with workers' compensation fraud for actions the company took while not carrying the appropriate workers' compensation insurance. According to reports, the company failed to purchase workers' compensation insurance over a 250-day period. However, throughout this timeframe they still accepted government funds that were paid as assistance for upkeep of the policy.
On behalf of Grossinger Gordon Vatz, L.L.P. posted in Workplace Injuries on Tuesday, April 23, 2013
When something tragic happens at work, the injured individuals and their families can quickly become bogged down with unexpected emotional and financial hardships. Unfortunately, when people are injured at work, it is important that they or their family start the worker's compensation claim process as quickly as possible.
The family of a Pennsylvania man is likely making these types of decisions and going through these difficult times after the man recently suffered a fatal work-related injury. The man was working at a nearby compressor station. He was one of three employees that were injured at a Eureka Hunter Pipeline operation. According to authorities, there was an explosion at the station. However, Eureka's parent company claims that it was a flash fire.
On behalf of Grossinger Gordon Vatz, L.L.P. posted in Workplace Injuries on Thursday, April 18, 2013
There are numerous posts in this blog that have discussed the ramifications that employers must deal with when they do not create a reasonably safe workplace for their employees. However, what some readers in Pittsburgh may not realize is that employers may be dealing with these ramifications years after an employee is injured at work. A Pittsburgh mine was recently assessed a fine of $110,000 for an employee that suffered a workplace injury more than five years ago.
In October of 2007, a miner at a Somerset County coal mine suffered a work-related injury when he was shocked while trying to change a fuse for a high-voltage switch. What the worker did not realize is that the chief electrician for the mine had purposely disconnected the safety switch two days earlier. The purposeful disconnection not only resulted in the miner being shocked, but also resulted in another worker performing his daily duties just inches away from a 7,200-volt live line.
On behalf of Grossinger Gordon Vatz, L.L.P. posted in Workplace Accidents on Thursday, April 11, 2013
While the face and shape of the American economy is changing rapidly, many Pennsylvania workers still work in highly dangerous fields. According to government data, workplace illnesses and injuries cost the U.S. economy approximately $250 billion every year in lost productivity and medical expenses. This economic accounting of the epidemic of job-related accidents, however, does not measure the ways in which these accidents can change lives.
A recent article in the New York Times tells the tale of a chemical known as n-propyl bromide, or nPB, which is used in adhesives. Products carrying the chemicals are often used in auto body shops, manufacturing plants and dry cleaners across the country. Despite repeated warnings by government agencies that constant exposure could cause serious neurological damage and infertility, the product has grown in popularity.
On behalf of Grossinger Gordon Vatz, L.L.P. posted in Workplace Injuries on Friday, April 5, 2013
The majority of employers in Pennsylvania are required to carry workers' compensation insurance. This insurance serves a specific purpose and that is to reimburse employees for expenses that come up after they are injured at work. Workers' compensation benefits offer a variety of different types of recovery based upon the circumstances of the accident and the resulting injury.
In certain situations the injured worker may be entitled specific loss benefits. Specific loss benefits are available when the work-related injury results in permanent injuries such as the loss of fingers, hands, limbs, hearing, sight or other body parts or bodily functions. A Pennsylvania man may be able to recover specific loss benefits after he was recently injured on the job at a food distributor.
On behalf of Grossinger Gordon Vatz, L.L.P. posted in Workplace Injuries on Monday, March 25, 2013
As many residents of Pennsylvania would probably expect, those employed in professions that require them to handle gas and fire are exposed to dangers that could potentially harm them. High-risk occupations could mean an increased chance of being injured at work. One employee at a natural gas compression station in Bradford County recently suffered such a workplace injury.
Gas well lines are fed into the compression station and from there are pumped out into distribution lines. At around 6:30 p.m., there was a fire at this natural gas compression station, which left one employee injured. The worker was taken to the hospital to be treated for his burns that were not initially expected to be severe. According to the Fire Chief, the fire was contained to the compression station and there was no pollution as a result. Once firefighters arrived at the scene, an employee of the gas company shut of the valve to help put out the fire.
On behalf of Grossinger Gordon Vatz, L.L.P. posted in Workplace Accidents on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
There are numerous careers and jobs held by residents of Pennsylvania that are inherently dangerous. Mining is one of these dangerous professions. A job-related accident in a mine is very likely to cause injuries to miners and may possibly leave them out of work while they recover. In the most unfortunate situations, a miner may be killed on the worksite due to a job-related accident.
A CONSOL Energy mine located in Green County, Pennsylvania was recently evacuated when smoke was seen billowing from the shaft at the mine site. Miners were initially evacuated. There were also three personnel that were working close to what appeared to be the site of the fire and they were also evacuated. The first rescue teams sent underground to find the location of the fire were also evacuated.
On behalf of Grossinger Gordon Vatz, L.L.P. posted in Workers’ Compensation on Friday, March 15, 2013
Many previous posts in this blog have discussed employers' responsibility to take whatever steps are reasonably necessary to keep their employees safe from workplace injuries. No matter whether an employer takes the necessary steps or not to keep their employees safe, once an employee suffers from a workplace injury they are entitled to workers' compensation. However, it appears that this standard may not apply to all industries. Readers in Pennsylvania may be interested in a recent article about the fracking industry seemingly showing that employers, OSHA and even the government have a more secretive and hands-off approach when it comes to informing consumers and employees of the dangers related to fracking.
Because workers' compensation does not rely on whether employers take steps to keep employees safe, some may argue that as long as those employed in fracking still get their workers' compensation benefits, the secrecy around the dangers is not a big deal. However, the nature of the occupational diseases is so severe that it is shocking there is not more being done to prevent the onset of these illnesses.
