Iowa lawmakers have passed legislation to protect businesses and health care providers from Corona virus-related lawsuits and sent the bill to Governor Kim Reynolds to sign. Employers and operators of businesses as well as health care providers who follow CDC guidelines – occupancy restrictions, social distancing, and increased disinfection efforts to name a few –… Read More »
Returning to Work During Covid 19 – What Are My Rights?
With many states reopening, many employees may be nervous about returning to work. If you feel that your boss is calling you back too soon, is there anything you can do? Many Americans were furloughed or worked from home during the early weeks of the pandemic and are fearful of returning to the workplace as… Read More »
When Workers Return Will Companies Liable for Covid-19?
Under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers to provide a safe workplace, free from serious hazards, complying with standards rules and regulations issued under the OSH Act. As pressure mounts to reopen the economy, employers are feeling the heat to protect their employees from the known hazards of Covid-19. In a recent… Read More »
Failure to Control Hazardous Energy | Lock Out Tag Violation Cited by OSHA
Recently the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited an Arcola, Illinois manufacturer for violations of OSHA’s machine safety standards after an employee was seriously injured on the job. The company was cited for not only inadequate machine guarding but also a failure to control hazardous energy sources – a lockout/tag… Read More »
Construction Zones and Car Accidents
Construction of the I-74 Bridge has seen a few mishaps since it began in 2017. Last February, the Iowa DOT reported that two workers were rescued after falling into the Mississippi River. Later the same month, a catastrophic failure resulted in a crane boom collapsing into the river. Road closures and detours have resulted in… Read More »
Increase in Workplace Fatalities in the U.S.
Nearly 5 million employees are injured on the job every year and workplace fatalities are on the rise. A recent census released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that fatal workplace injuries have increased 2% since 2017 – 5,147 lives lost on the job in 2017 to 5,250 in 2018. Transportation incidents are… Read More »
Workers’ Comp Denied After Drug Test
When an employee is injured in a work related accident, workers’ compensation is supposed to cover medical bills and any lost wages while they recover. However, a positive drug test may result in workers’ compensation benefits being denied wreaking financial havoc on the worker and their family. Drug Testing Following a Work Place Accident Following… Read More »
Forklift and Pallet Jack Work Accidents
Employees that work in factories, large distribution centers, warehouses or any of the massive home improvement stores across the country often work alongside forklift operators or employees on pallet jacks who move loads to various locations around a facility, sometimes pulling down or lifting up loads from towering shelves above or moving pallets across a… Read More »
Work Related Silicosis Disease & Lung Injury
Thousands of cabinet workers in the U.S. may be at risk of injury from inhaling silica dust; artificial stone containing the mineral silica used to make kitchen and bath countertops has been linked to deaths and irreversible lung injury in workers that manufacture, sell and install countertops for a living. Dust from cutting slabs of… Read More »
What Should You Do If Your Workers’ Comp Claim is Denied
If your Iowa workers’ compensation claim is denied, the first step is to try and work out the dispute with the employer and/or the workers’ compensation insurer. Sometimes more information is needed or a step missed, which can be easily rectified so that benefits can be paid. However, if that is not the case and… Read More »