Man denied workers’ compensation benefits for work injury
Many Oklahoma employees have desk jobs that require them to sit and fill out forms. While sedentary jobs may not seem hazardous, it is possible to suffer an injury while sitting at a desk. However, people who sustain an injury at their desk will only be allowed to claim workers’ compensation benefits if they can […]
Risky industries for on the job injuries
According to the Department of Labor, last year over three million workers were injured or got sick on a job in the private sector. In Oklahoma, attorneys frequently handle work-related cases including spine, back, brain, neck and leg injuries. These accidents result in lost wages due to unpaid sick leave and medical expenses. The industries […]
Gun rights in the workplace
Approximately 2 million people are victims of workplace violence every year throughout the country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the fifth leading cause of workplace fatalities is homicide, representing approximately 8 percent of the total. However, Oklahoma recognizes the right to carry firearms, and workplaces must make accommodations between providing reasonable security and […]
Staffing agencies, host employers and safety
Many people in Oklahoma work for staffing agencies that facilitate temporary employment gigs for them. A staffing agency may send a temporary worker to a location for one day, several days or several weeks depending on the host employer’s needs. While these people are on the job, the staffing agency and the host employer both […]
OSHA updating rules on falling hazards in the workplace
An OSHA ruling more than 25 years in the making has cleared the final hurdles towards implementation. Workers in Oklahoma and around the country may soon find their workplace safety protections against falling more robust than ever before. Guard rails and other physical barriers are the primary forms of fall prevention in the workplace. OSHA […]
Workers’ compensation benefits decline to historic low
According to a study, workers’ compensation benefits have fallen to the lowest level since 1980 around the country. This may be due to changes in the laws in Oklahoma to limit access to workers’ compensation when workers are injured. It might also be attributed to fewer people being injured at work or their returning to […]
Preventing combustible dust explosions
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued a fact sheet to help reduce combustible dust explosions at manufacturing plants in Oklahoma and nationwide. These explosions have the potential to occur at any plant that contains dust particles, including dust particles that aren’t normally considered flammable. According to OSHA, the risk of explosions increases when […]
OSHA report regarding Oklahoma workplace injuries
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released its findings on the severe injury reporting process the agency put in place effective Jan. 1, 2015. Under this system, employers are required to notify OSHA of work-related hospitalizations, amputations and losses of an eye within 24 hours of the event taking place. Based on data submitted […]
Sleep apnea rule spurs a reaction
Truck drivers and railroad workers in Oklahoma and across the country may soon be required to be screened for obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can produce frequent interruption in breathing while an individual is sleeping. The respiratory condition affects 28 percent of drivers of commercial motor vehicles and can contribute to distraction and diminished functionality […]
An unsafe work culture can put employees in danger
Oklahoma workers face risks on the job whether they work in offices, factories or at construction sites. To keep them safe, employers need to evaluate the physical risks at their work sites. They should also consider whether the work culture is making a work site less safe and determine whether employees are following all of […]