You probably bend, kneel, reach and turn a few hundred times a day -- both on and off the job -- so why should workers’ compensation pay you for an injury that occurs when you’re doing such an ordinary thing? If that’s how things worked, you can bet employers and...
If you have worked as a chef for years, you probably accept your workplace conditions as standard. Yet, most people would be horrified if they knew the truth of what went on in restaurant kitchens. To any outsider, a busy kitchen is a series of accidents waiting to...
When people talk about workers’ rights, they usually discuss civil rights, such as the right to a workplace free of harassment or discrimination. However, there are a different set of laws that give workers the right to a safe workplace. Worker safety is enshrined in...
Whatever your job, there is a good chance that you perform specific actions repeatedly. That is why repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) are among the most common of all workplace injuries. They can happen to anyone in any job. How do you know if you have a repetitive...
When you tell someone you are off work due to a repetitive strain injury (RSI), you might feel they look at you oddly, as if examining you for signs of proof. When you first talked about needing workers’ compensation and time off, they probably assumed you fell from a...
Data released by the US Census Bureau indicates that almost 15% of the nation's workforce is older than 70 years. This is reported to result from people nationwide, including in Illinois, living healthier, longer lives combined with their financial needs. The...
Workers in foundries and other metal processing plants in Illinois and across the country are at significant risk of developing long-term health problems. The risk is exacerbated because the damage only becomes evident when it is already at an advanced stage. Unlike...
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was at the scene of a grain bin accident in Illinois on a recent Wednesday afternoon. Several teams of rescuers were involved in the effort to bring two workers to safety. Sadly, only one survived this...
Along with the freezing weather this winter, comes the hazards of cold stress for outdoor workers in Illinois and across the Midwest. Low temperatures and strong winds cause many workplace injuries and related workers' compensation claims each year. Safety authorities...
Dropped objects pose severe risks in Illinois and wherever work is done on different levels. Safety authorities adopted standards to mitigate dropped object hazards over a year ago, but such injuries continue to occur. Even a small object dropped from an elevated work...