Chicago Workers' Compensation Law Blog

Construction companies in Illinois and across the country are learning how revolutionary technology can benefit their businesses. Along with improved bottom lines, technological advancements can improve employee safety. With fewer work injury claims filed for benefits, escalating insurance premiums can be avoided. Some of the advancements, such as the various wearables designed for construction workers, can reduce construction site injuries.

The futuristic technologies include equipment tagging, virtual reality, drones, robotics, Building Information Modeling, and radio-frequency identification tagging (RFID). Construction workers can wear the devices on their glasses, hardhats, vests, wristbands or boots, and along with tracking the physical location of the wearer, it can also monitor the environmental conditions. Some are equipped with emergency buttons that can alert rescue workers in emergencies. If the wearable is also equipped with GPS technology, it can lead rescuers to the worker's location. Wearables can monitor the vital signs of workers and warn them of imminent danger.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has reported that the number of fatalities in the construction industry in 2017 was lower than in previous years, but the number of deaths resulting from falls remains a concern. The agency reported that 366 construction workers nationwide, including Illinois, fell to their deaths in 2017. OSHA cited one particular fatal head injury as an example that underscores the importance of adequate safety training.

The incident occurred on the site of a newly constructed residence where contractors arrived to install gutters. The four workers were said to be specialists in this field. One of them positioned a ladder on the roof of the residence's porch, and stood on the ladder to take the measurements for the gutters to be installed. As he climbed down from the ladder after completing the task, the ladder's base slipped.

Lightning pose significant dangers, and outdoor workers in Illinois might be smart to learn the myths and truths about this hazard before June when lightning strikes are frequent occurrences. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says June, July and August are the months in which most lightning strikes occur. Any work injury caused by a lightning strike can have severe consequences.

Workers might not realize that lightning bolts can strike up to 10 miles away from a storm, and any signs of a rain storm in the distance should send workers into safe areas. Taking cover under a tree is dangerous because lightning often strikes trees, cellphone towers, tall buildings containing metal and any other tall objects. Workers should disregard the myth that says lightning never strikes in the same place twice because it is not true.

Safety authorities in Illinois and other states gather injury data throughout each year to analyze it and find ways to improve workplace safety. The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported interesting findings after processing work injury and fatality data collected over 25 years. The information was obtained from 1992 through 2016, and the results show that analyzing the injuries and causes have led to improved workplace safety.

This report forms part of the BLS "Spotlight on Statistics" series and reveals that bodily reaction to overexertion was the primary cause for absence from work throughout the studied period. However, there was a drop of almost 71% between the 1992 and 2016 numbers for such injuries. Fatalities also decreased over that period, with the 2016 work-related deaths totals dropping over 16% than those recorded in 1992.