Common hazards faced by health care workers
Health care workers in Oklahoma hospitals face numerous workplace hazards every day. Staff members that work directly with patients are particularly prone to workplace injuries and illnesses. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, hospital workers in the United States reported about 253,700 work-related injuries and illnesses in 2011. Data shows that direct patient […]
Reducing workplace accidents with a positive safety culture
Many Oklahoma residents remember the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It was a human tragedy of enormous magnitude, killing many and condemning an entire region to decades of cancer diagnoses and birth deformities. However, the Chernobyl accident, which occurred due to a total breakdown in safety awareness and responsibility, helped create the concept of “safety culture.” […]
Crystalline silica exposure rules for workers
Oklahoma workers may have heard that a final ruling has been made by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for the protection of those who may be exposed to crystalline silica. One standard applies to the construction industry while there is another that applies to maritime and other occupations. According to OSHA, crystalline silica, which […]
Better hard hats for Oklahoma workers
Hard hats have been used for an extended period of time to help protect workers in many Oklahoma occupations from injuries. They are supposed to be worn when there is a possibility of being struck by a flying or falling object, being shocked or being burnt. However, due to the fact that many hard hats […]
OSHA events help keep Oklahoma workers safe
Throughout the months of February and March 2016, employers in the oil industry are encouraged to Stand-Up for Safety. During this time, employers are encouraged to offer training, inspect job sites and take other steps to create safer working conditions on job sites. The event is a joint effort between NIOSH, OSHA and the National […]
Workers more likely to be fired following a work-related injury
A study conducted at a Harvard University graduate school has revealed that nursing facility employees injured on the job are commonly more prone to quit or be fired after only working about half a year following their injuries. This may not come as a surprise to many Oklahoma nursing facility workers who have also suffered […]
Poor truck maintenance cited in Swift Transportation lawsuit
Truck drivers in Oklahoma may be interested in the progress of a lawsuit against trucking giant Swift Transportation. A woman who claims to have suffered disabling injuries to her hands while operating a Swift truck in 2012 alleged in her lawsuit that negligent maintenance resulted in her accident. According to court documents, Swift has been […]
Older workers have impact on workplace injury statistics
Changes in both the economy and retirement benefits have had an impact on worker demographics in Oklahoma and around the country. Many people are working well into their sixties or longer, and this shift toward a graying workplace has also had an impact on workplace health and safety statistics. Recent studies have shown that, in […]
Toxic exposure in the health care field
Oklahoma workers in the medical field have the right to have their health protected as they care for the health of others. Although the dangers to medical workers from blood borne pathogens are common knowledge, it may be less known that a health care workplace contains any number of dangerous and toxic substances. If they […]
Dangers for microwave popcorn, flavorings plant workers
Some Oklahoma workers in plants that make microwave popcorn or flavorings may be vulnerable to a type of lung disease known as obliterative bronchiolitis. This disease causes scarring of small airways in the lungs. Shortness of breath during exertion and a cough without phlegm are symptoms of the disease, but in some cases, a mild […]