Philadelphia Workers' Compensation Blog

Pennsylvania residents who work in the motor vehicle towing industry may want to know about a recent report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. After analyzing Bureau of Labor Statistics spanning the years 2011 to 2016, NIOSH researchers found that 191 tow truck drivers were killed in that period. The annual fatality rate came to 42.9 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers.

This is nearly 15 times greater than the annual fatality for all other private industries combined, which came to 2.9 per 100,000 FTEs. In addition, the non-fatal injury rate for tow truck drivers was 204.2 per 10,000 FTEs, more than double the 98.2 rate seen in other industries.

Workers in Pennsylvania might be interested OSHA's new reminder to employers about keeping workers safe from carbon monoxide exposure. The February 12 reminder was issued after recent events indicated a need to emphasize the dangers of carbon monoxide exposure when workers are in enclosed spaces near generators or other types of equipment that can expose them to the deadly gas.

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas that cannot be seen and has no odor. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be fatal. The first symptoms of overexposure to carbon monoxide include dizziness, headache, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting and tightness across the chest. Someone who is overexposed may lapse into a coma. Severe neurological damage can occur in people who survive carbon monoxide poisoning.

A national project is aiming to eliminate construction worker injuries in Pennsylvania and across the country. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is holding its sixth annual National Safety Stand-Down against construction falls from May 6-10, 2019. The project focuses on falls because they continue to pose a serious threat to construction worker safety. In 2016, 891 construction workers lost their lives due to workplace accidents. Of those, 370 were related to falls from heights. OSHA emphasizes that all of these deaths are preventable.

This voluntary event encourages construction workers to talk to workers about safety issues and workplace accidents. OSHA suggests using breaks to educate workers about the importance of fall prevention and places at a worksite that may pose risks for falling. In addition, these sessions can provide an opportunity for employees to raise concerns about hazards they have encountered in the workplace. The program typically includes a wide range of employers and other parties in the industry, including commercial and residential construction firms, contractors and subcontractors, highway construction companies, public works departments, unions and trade associations.

Your workplace accident left you with a painful recovery, lost wages and questions about your future. After applying for Pennsylvania workers' compensation, you thought all you had to do was follow the instructions of your doctor and insurer to secure the benefits you needed to protect your family from financial crisis.

You probably didn't expect the workers' compensation claims process to be as tedious and uncertain as it was, including paperwork, interviews and seeking medical care from approved doctors. After all that, the insurer arrived at an offer of benefits based on your medical bills, missed work and disability. You now have some decisions to make about accepting the offer or pursuing a higher amount.