Foundries are among the most dangerous places anyone could work. The Mapleton, Illinois, foundry for Caterpillar of Irving, Texas, makes cast-iron engine components. Among the potentially deadly machines at the foundry were 11-foot-deep pots of molten iron that had...
Remote work has seen a dramatic rise in the past several years. Many employees find that their quality of life has greatly improved since working from home. But just because people are in the safety of their own homes doesn’t mean they’re safe from work-related...
Federal and state workplace safety laws are meant to ensure that every workplace is reasonably safe. Nevertheless, many workers face unreasonable hazards in their workplaces, and many are injured and even killed every year in Illinois. One man, 48, was inspecting a...
Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). To help prevent them, OSHA engages in regular information campaigns about fall safety. It also inspects workplaces and issues...
Today we revisit our discussion of occupational violence. Tragically this topic is top of mind during this time of concentrated frequency of gun violence in our country. As we explained in part 1, Illinois workers’ compensation normally provides benefits to a victim...
Illinoisans and others across the country are reeling from the current intensity and frequency of mass shootings. Many occur in a variety of workplaces, resulting in employee injury and death. A shooting injury may occur when a worker is clocked in and carrying out...
Even though fiscal year 2021 required remote inspections, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration still found plenty of workplace safety violations. These violations are all too common. Recently, the federal agency announced, through the National Safety...
Its hard to deny that climate change really does seem to be making its mark this summer of 2022. Repeated heat waves are rolling across the Midwest, creating the conditions for a variety of related injuries or illnesses. And when an employee suffers injury or sickness...
Another report from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says that some Dollar General stores continue to expose workers to serious hazards and dangerous risks. This is despite OSHA’s previous citations against the retailer. Back in December 2021,...
The Travelers Companies, Inc., a large workers’ compensation insurance provider, recently analyzed over 1.5 million workers’ comp claims originating between 2015 and 2019 and involving people who could not immediately return to work. The idea was to catch trends and...
