Massachusetts Workers Compensation Lawyers Blog
Officials with the U.S. Department of Labor recently announced four new rules that aim to help business owners. The new rules aim to reduce regulatory burden on employers by updating or rescinding unnecessary rules, regulations and requirements.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) updated and reworked the federal standard for employees using mechanical power presses. These rules were finalized and published in the wake of the Obama Administration’s efforts to modernize the regulatory system and reduce unfair regulatory burdens.
Our Boston workers’ compensation lawyers understand that both employers and workers need to focus on what is most likely to keep them safe. Outdated and unnecessary regulation detracts from the time, energy and focus where it is needed most.
Visit regulation.gov today and submit your comments on proposed regulations and related documents published by the federal government.
U.S. workers have a right to receive information about the job-related risks to their health and safety, preventive measures, first aid and emergency procedures. Training should be relevant and understandable, including for workers who speak a different language.
More specifically, it’s critical that we protect young workers. Employers have the primary responsibility to these younger employees. But, at the same time, young people themselves need to be aware of health and safety issues when they enter the world of work, to help ensure they stay safe on the job.
Under current federal safety regulations, we saw close to 4,500 workers killed on the job in 2012. According to OSHA, there was, on average, about 84 fatalities a week. That means about 12 fatalities a day.
During this time, there were close to 710 Hispanic or Latino workers killed.
Fatal work injuries involving contractors accounted for more than 15 percent of all fatal work injuries in 2012.
An estimated 646,000 workers had an accident at work in 2012 — 2013. More than 230,000 of these injuries led to over 3 days’ absence from work and 175,000 to over 7-day absences.
By focusing on what’s important in our workplaces, we can help to save the most lives. For example, falls account close to 40 percent of total work deaths in the construction industry. By eliminating the threat and the risk of hazardous falls and other workplace traumas, the emotional, physical, and financial hardships experienced by everyone involved in these incident is greatly reduced and in many instances, completely eliminated.
If you or a loved one has been injured on the job in Massachusetts, call Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your workers’ compensation claim– (617) 777-7777.
More Blog Entries:
OSHA Proposes Better Accident Reporting for Safer Workplaces, Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Blog, November 16, 2013
Winter Risk for Miners in the Northeast, Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Blog, November 8, 2013