Anyone who goes into the construction business accepts that there is certain level of risk. After all, the job normally involves working with heavy machinery, traversing scaffolding at great heights and using potential dangerous tools. However, it’s the job of the construction company and the manufacturers of this machinery to mitigate the risks and create a safe working environment for…
When the twin towers fell on that horrific day 13 years ago in September, America’s hearts cried out for all the victims and for the responders who risked their lives to save others. Many of those responders were firemen and police officers, but a lot of us forget that ordinary New Yorkers, unaffiliated with any official rescue group, bravely went…
It’s a sad story that’s been repeated too many times throughout our history. Employees give the best years of their lives to a company only to find out that they were exposed to harmful chemicals, radiation or other workplace hazards and now have a medical ailment that requires extensive medical treatment. Yes, occupational illnesses like these are sometimes hard to…
Workers in New York understand that accidents can happen on the job. If an injury occurs, it’s the company’s job to provide workers’ compensation that will financially support the employee throughout his or her recovery. Often, there are spouses and children who depend on the income as well and would be devastated without the assistance that workers’ compensation provides. Consider…
Anyone who has walked around New York City for any amount of time can tell you about the sidewalk sheds. For the uninitiated, they’re miniature scaffoldings, usually fashioned out of scraps of plywood that are supposed to shield pedestrians from falling debris from a construction site overhead. They’re ubiquitous; since 1998, their numbers have ballooned to almost 10,000. The problem…
When you think of workplace illnesses, the image that jumps to mind is probably one of a factory worker breathing in noxious fumes day in and day out, or a construction worker who’s made to lift heavy machinery over and over again. But occupational illnesses take all sorts of forms and pop up anywhere, from coffee shops to the cubicle.…
Every job comes with its inherent dangers and employers are supposed to mitigate these potential pitfalls by providing well-maintained equipment, offering safety training and constantly monitoring the workplace for potential hazards. When an injury does occur, workers should receive workers’ compensation to take care of medical expenses and lost wages. Most workers’ compensation claims are easily quantifiable. A broken bone,…
Any New York business that employs people has a moral and legal obligation to create a safe working environment for its workers. When workplace injuries do occur, they have a duty to make sure that their employees feel comfortable reporting them to their superiors without fear of retaliation. Many companies flout these rules in an attempt to avoid dealing with…
Any New York business that employs people has a moral and legal obligation to create a safe working environment for its workers. When workplace injuries do occur, they have a duty to make sure that their employees feel comfortable reporting them to their superiors without fear of retaliation. Many companies flout these rules in an attempt to avoid dealing with…
A 23-year-old man died in a fall from the roof of a building that was under construction. The construction worker fell from a roof following a large gust of wind, despite wearing a safety harness. The man died from the 24-foot fall within hours of the accidents occurrence. Construction site falls are one of a multitude of accidents that can…
When the economic downturn came, some businesses closed while others made big changes in order to stay open. The job losses flooded the market with the unemployed and underemployed, some of whom began picking up work as independent contractors. In the trucking industry, for example, some truckers left behind working as employees in order to become independent owner/operators. However, another…
When workers are hurt on the job, it seems an obvious answer, if the employer were at fault, the employer should be held liable. Injured workers may be able to collect workers’ compensation and hold the employer accountable. But what if an employer who ignores safety rules is only penalized as much as the employer who follows them? What if…
