Articles Posted in 2013

Personal restraint systems and other kinds of personal protection are key to preventing injuries from workplace falls. Researchers are exploring strategies to encourage the use of personal fall protection systems among workers who sometimes find the devices cumbersome or inconvenient. A recent study focused on construction workers, because this industry contributes to the highest number…

All construction workers in the Atlanta region risk workplace accidents and injuries, but the risk may be greater for Hispanic workers who lack easy access to safety and workplace training. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently addressed this issue at a safety workshop for Spanish-speaking workers in Duluth. As of 2011, Hispanics made up…

Researchers have found that work-related traumatic brain injury, which can lead to severe disability, is a serious problem for young workers. Their recent study focused on traumatic brain injury cases involving workers ages 16-24 in the state of Washington. The researchers identified work-related traumatic brain injuries from a registry and linked them to data from…

President Barack Obama issued an executive order on August 1 that directed the federal government to work toward the improvement of safety and security conditions at chemical plants across the country. The order comes in response to a number of explosions and other accidents at chemical plants. The executive order mentions the Texas fertilizer plant…

A recent directive from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration could result in an employer’s removal from the Voluntary Protection Program in the event of a workplace fatality or multiple injuries. Employers under this program are generally exempt from OSHA programmed inspections and enjoy other benefits if they meet certain criteria. More than 2,300 employers…

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported 33 fatalities at work sites in Georgia in 2012. According to the Augusta Chronicle, that represents a 23 percent drop from the 43 workplace fatalities in the previous year. Thirteen of the fatalities occurred in the construction sector. Sixteen took place in general industry, three in agriculture, and…

Workers in the manufacturing, construction, and marine industries account for many of the occupational hearing loss cases reported in the United States each year. But hearing loss from exposure to loud noises in the workplace is highly preventable with the use of proper hearing protection. The number of hearing loss cases reached 869 in 2012,…

With the year’s busiest construction season in full swing, many workers around Atlanta face a risk of serious injury caused by employer negligence. Some of the most serious injuries occur during trench collapses. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says that trench collapse accidents kill almost two construction workers each month. The sad fact is…

The risk of an ischemic stroke rises after people have suffered a traumatic brain injury, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Michigan. The findings are of concern to anyone who suffers a traumatic brain injury, including those who are injured in a workplace accident. The study, published in the journal…

A chemical called methyl isocyanate that is commonly used in the maritime and manufacturing industries has been linked to a number of workplace injuries involving toxic exposure. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently announced a new program to educate workers about the toxic effects of exposure to methyl isocyanate. The OSHA’s national emphasis programs…