The average duration of temporary disability benefits in workers compensation lost-time claims increases with the age of the injured worker, but after age 40 the increase becomes less significant, the National Council on Compensation Insurance says in a report published Thursday. The report, Workers Compensation Temporary Disability Benefit Duration – A First Look, which is the first installment in a…
Human error was largely to blame for the workplace death of an Illinois sanitation worker who was crushed by a garbage truck during trash pickup services in Springfield in October 2022, according to a report released Monday by the Illinois Division of Occupational Safety and Health. The employee was pinned between a garbage truck and a brick fence column. The…
There were 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries in private industry nationwide in 2022, up 7.5% from the prior year, according to figures released Wednesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Increases in both injuries and illnesses were driving factors behind the change from 2021, the BLS said, and the illness increase was attributed in large part to a rise…
A Union Pacific Railroad employee has filed a negligence claim after he allegedly fell and injured himself on the job. Plaintiff Larry Hunt, Jr. filed the lawsuit in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against defendant Union Pacific Railroad Company, citing negligence. According to the lawsuit, Hunt was employed by Union Pacific Railroad Company as a conductor. The plaintiff claims…
As retailers begin hiring seasonal workers to meet the demands of the upcoming holiday season, experts are stressing the importance of safety training for temporary employees who may be new to fast-paced industries such as warehousing and delivery. Over the years retail work has shifted more toward mail-order and has become a focus for safety regulators as the demanding labor…
Medical payments per claim decreased by 3% on average in 17 states for 2021 injuries with costs that extended into the first quarter of 2022, according to a set of studies released Thursday by the Workers Compensation Research Institute. The main driver of the decline was a decrease in the utilization of medical services, likely as a result of the…
The U.S. Department of Labor said impact inspections at 14 mines in 10 states throughout August uncovered a total of 246 workplace safety violations. The inspections, completed by the department’s Mine Safety and Health Administration, found 94 significant and substantial violations and 17 violations found to have unwarrantable failure findings, the DOL said. Significant and substantial violations are those likely…
Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., have introduced legislation designed to create parity in workers compensation in cases involving injured workers who receive out-of-state benefits. The Parity in Workers’ Compensation Recovery Act of 2023, filed Tuesday, states that workers who receive comp awards in any state are not barred from seeking compensation under D.C. workers comp law for the same injury or…
Agriculture is one of the few industries where relatives of workers suffer high rates of injuries due to the nature of working farms existing on private lands, and researchers say farmers need to ensure children are kept safe from workplace incidents. The National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, in a Wednesday blog post, said while agriculture ranks among the…
As attacks on health care workers become increasingly more common, workplace safety experts are calling on regulators and employers to better protect those caring for patients. Incidents spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic amid understaffed medical facilities, increased substance abuse and an overall lack of mental health services, experts say. And although the issue is on the radar of federal and…
