For the tenth year in a row, the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) has issued a report about recent bills, laws and regulations that could impact the workers’ compensation system. It’s a national report, and these issues are cropping up across the...
Workers’ Compensation
OSHA cites Chicago candy factory for repeat lockout/tagout violations
Machine safety is critical to our workforce. Virtually every job involves a machine of some sort, and many of them pose serious safety risks unless handled carefully. One of the most basic safety protocols around machines is to power them down completely before...
A new top hazard for delivery drivers and warehouse workers: heat
Earlier this summer, this blog discussed a growing hazard for workers in Illinois and around the country. That hazard is heat, and it’s bound to get worse. This was the third hottest summer in U.S. history, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric...
Illinois workplace shootings and other occupational violence, part 2
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...
Workers’ compensation normally covers employee harm from shooting, part 1
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...
Illinois workers’ compensation covers heat-related work injuries
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...
The accident was my fault. Am I still covered by workers’ comp?
In general, yes. Illinois workers’ compensation is a no-fault system. Essentially, all that is required is that you be an employee of a company covered by workers’ comp and that you have been injured or sickened while on the job. You are generally covered even if you...
Is work-related asthma covered by workers’ compensation?
Generally, yes. If you have developed asthma for the first time due to a workplace exposure – or if you already had asthma but an exposure has aggravated it – you are generally entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. However, it can be somewhat challenging to...
7 common hazards on communication towers
Over the last few decades, work on communication towers has exploded. Before the 1980s, there was only a small, specialized industry of workers who erected, serviced and maintained broadcast and communication towers. Now, with a cellphone in every pocket,...
Illinois workers’ compensation claims for work-related hearing losses
Many Illinois jobs involve exposure to noise levels that can have a negative effect on your hearing. If you work in a loud environment and your hearing has diminished over time, there is a good chance that your hearing loss is work-related. As Harvard Health...
