Chicago Workers' Compensation Law Blog

The Construction Safety Week 2018 that runs between May 7 and May 11 nationally will aim to elevate awareness of the importance of creating safe work environments in Illinois and elsewhere. Workers must receive adequate training and personal protective equipment to keep them safe and healthy. An insurance company that is one of the sponsors of the stand-down urges companies to pay particular attention to training and onboarding. The insurer says claim data indicates that more than half of the injuries are suffered in construction accidents within worker's first year on the job.

The likelihood of construction accidents will naturally be higher when there are workers with little or no experience on site. For this reason, officials suggest a hiring program that includes orientation that is site-specific along with an analysis of potential hazards and training in the proper use of safety equipment. Past incidents and near misses can be used as demonstrations during the training process. A thorough analysis of these incidents can also help to keep safety protocols current.

Employees who work on TV towers in Illinois and elsewhere frequently risk their lives while working at dangerous heights. The inexplicable collapse of such a tower in a neighboring state on a recent Thursday underscores the risks these workers take to earn an income. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident in which one worker suffered a fatal work injury.

According to a sheriff's report, workers were doing maintenance on a tower for planned channel changes. Reportedly, they were at the height of approximately 105 feet when the collapse occurred. Between 50 and 60 rescue workers rushed to the scene, where they discovered that one worker had succumbed to the injuries he suffered when he became trapped under steel beams.

During the recent National Work Zone Awareness Week, the Illinois Department of Transportation worked hard to create awareness of the hazards faced by those who risk their lives to make the roads safer for motorists throughout the state. A spokesperson said many drivers do not realize how exposed these workers are to the dangers of traffic. They can often feel the wind from the big rigs and cars that speed through construction zones with the drivers having little or no regard for the safety of construction workers. It is no wonder that so many workplace accidents occur in construction zones.

Road construction is one of the most hazardous occupations, and authorities urge motorists to slow down and take extra care as they pass through work zones. One fire chief said the many distractions of devices like cell phones and Bluetooth that most drivers have in their vehicles can be blamed for a significant percentage of accidents in construction zones. According to IDOT, the average annual number of crashes in these work zones is as high as 5,200 -- statewide.

Allowing the accumulation of combustible dust in manufacturing facilities can lead to deadly explosions. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed over $90,000 in penalties for an Illinois pallet maker some months ago for exposing employees to the dangers of potential industrial accidents. Advisers at the safety agency say there are five elements required for the dust to become combustible.

Fires typically need fuel, heat and an oxidizer, and for a dust explosion, these are made up of dust, heat and oxygen. If the dust particles are dispersed in sufficient concentration and quantity and it forms a confined dust cloud, a deadly explosion can follow. Other influential factors include the dust particle size, ambient humidity, the moisture content of the dust, and the oxygen level in the air.