Workers in North Carolina may face an array of unexpected dangers on the job. Whether they work in an environment with known risks, like construction, or in a less physical space, like a typical office, employees may face a number of hazards leading to workplace accidents and injuries. For example, falls, slips and trips are the cause of many serious incidents in the workplace. While many people may think of this type of accident as minor, they have taken lives. In fact, in 2014 alone, 660 workers were killed in accidents related to falls from a height while 138 workers lost their lives when they fell at the same level.
How can you reduce the risk of electric shock in the water?
Like many other North Carolina families hoping to escape the summer heat, you pack up your beach clothes and your loved ones and head to the lake house. While enjoying an afternoon of diving off the dock, your children complain that they feel painful tingling in the water. Panicked, you tell them to swim away from the dock, search for the source of the electricity and find it – a frayed wire has fallen from a dock outlet and is dangling in the water.
The dangers of handling garbage
North Carolina residents and others who choose to work in the sanitation field face a variety of dangers. In the first 10 days of 2018, seven sanitation workers died according to the Solid Waste Association of North America. In addition to the risk of dying on the job, workers in this industry could get hurt handling heavy loads and climbing on and off trucks repeatedly.
Pursuing SSD benefits at a disability hearing
Many North Carolina applicants for Social Security Disability may be concerned about the impact of an upcoming hearing before administrative law judges regarding their applications. After applying for SSD benefits, a claimant will go through an initial review process. If denied at that level, he or she can seek a reconsideration appeal. At these levels, there is little that an applicant can do to supplement the record or avoid a denial as disability examiners will review the record based on the original application and the additional materials they seek out.
Silica reduction still a struggle for some employers
In September 2017, federal safety inspectors began enforcing a new rule that limits the amount of silica dust construction to which workers in North Carolina and across the U.S. can be exposed. However, many construction companies are still not fully compliant with the regulations, according to media reports.
Work safety may improve with startup's new wearable tech
Workers in North Carolina should know that every industry comes with its own hazards. While some people may not have to face the risk of radiation exposure or pinch point injuries, they may still be at risk for trips, slips and falls. The fact that so many hazards are unforeseeable partly explains why workplace accidents are so frequent. Every day around the world, more than 1,000 workers die on the job, and every minute, over 500 are injured.
Factors that influence application decision timelines
When a North Carolina disability case is sent to an examiner, there is no timetable in which the case must be approved or denied. However, this doesn't mean that a lengthy review process is the result of someone being lazy or holding a grudge against an applicant. Instead, the most important factor in how long it takes to make a determination is how long it takes to access relevant medical records.
Improving business safety with five simple tips
In the rush to meet deadlines, many business owners in North Carolina may be neglecting the safety of their employees. When safety guidelines are not enforced, even simple actions can open workers up to serious hazards. This is why employers, site managers, safety coaches and others in authority will want to consider the following five tips on how to improve business safety.
Study shows older workers, Latinos face higher work fatality rate
Over the last few years, workplace deaths have increased across North Carolina and throughout all of the United States. According to a recent study, a large number of those fatalities occur among older workers and Latinos. Casualties are also more common in certain work sectors.
