US Workplace Injuries Drop to Historic Lows

In a landmark year for workplace safety, private industry employers reported the lowest injury rates since 2003, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to protect American workers. The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report reveals that 2023 wasn't just a good year for workplace safety – it was historically good.

Paterson's Textile Past Unravels: EPA Tackles Asbestos Threat

A chapter of industrial history is about to be carefully closed in the heart of Paterson, New Jersey. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a significant asbestos cleanup operation at the former Allied Textile Printing (ATP) site, set to begin September 16, 2024.

EPA Moves to Ban Dacthal: Worker Safety Concerns

The US EPA's proposed rule to ban Dacthal (DCPA) is rooted in concerns about the significant health risks it poses, particularly to workers who handle the pesticide or work in treated fields. Dacthal has been shown to disrupt thyroid hormone levels in fetuses, potentially leading to long-term developmental issues such as low birth weight, impaired brain development, decreased IQ, and motor skill deficits.

Intentional Tort v Negligence

A New Jersey appellate court found that an employee could not proceed with an intentional tort claim against an employer because the evidence needed to meet the two-prong standard was lacking.

NJ’s COVID-19 Response: Key Lessons and Future Steps

The Independent Review of New Jersey’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, conducted by Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP. This comprehensive review, released on March 7, 2024, evaluates New Jersey’s preparedness, response, and lessons learned during the pandemic. It also provides recommendations to enhance future emergency management.

How OSHA Standards Revolutionize Workplace Safety

Jordan Barab’s recent testimony before the House Education and Workforce Committee Subcommittee on Workforce Protections focused extensively on the importance of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards in ensuring workplace safety. 

Senate Blasts Amazon Over High Injury Rates

According to an interim investigation report by Senator Bernie Sanders and the Senate HELP Committee into Amazon's warehouse safety practices, warehouse workers continue to suffer excessive occupational injuries. The report focuses on peak seasons like Prime Day and the holiday season.

The Predicted Active Hurricane Season Stirs Trouble

An active hurricane season can significantly impact the workers' compensation system in terms of claims and losses. 

OSHA Proposes a Workplace Heat Standard

OSHA’s proposed new workplace heat standard requires employers to develop a plan to identify and address heat hazards. This plan must include monitoring heat conditions, providing water, and training employees about heat safety. The standard also sets requirements for acclimatization for new and returning employees.

Bill Proposes to Increase Benefits for Some Injured Workers and Dependents

Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia filed legislation to institute additional workers' compensation supplemental benefits on June 13, 2024, and Assemblyman Inganamort co-sponsored it. 

East Coast Braces for Heat Dome: Workers Face Brutal Conditions

The East Coast is in for a sweltering week as a heat dome settles over the region. Temperatures are expected to soar into the high 90s or even triple digits, posing a significant health risk for outdoor workers and those in non-air-conditioned environments.

NJ Mandates Access to Periodic Cancer Screenings for Firefighters

NJ Governor Murphy signed legislation that mandates access to periodic cancer screening examinations for firefighters who are not enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP), but who are eligible for enrollment in the SHBP by public employment.

Federal judge affirms 2022 citation, penalties against United Airlines for failing to protect employee seriously injured when 737 crushes foot

A federal administrative law judge has affirmed safety violations against United Airlines related to a 2021 incident at Newark Liberty International Airport in which a 737's tire crushed a technician's foot as they worked with one of the company's towing crews.

Paterson Contractors Settle with OSHA for $215,000 for Safety Violations

Two related North Jersey construction contractor companies – Primetime Construction LLC and its subsidiary Primetime Contractors LLC of Paterson – have agreed to pay $215,000 in penalties and undertake several significant safety measures to resolve numerous safety violations found at five Paterson construction worksites in 2021, as part of a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor.

The EPA Final Rule on Methylene Chloride

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule in April 2024 significantly restricting the use of methylene chloride due to its health risks. This analysis examines the rule's impact on workers and potential workers' compensation claims.

California's WVPP Legislation: A Potential Benefit for Workers and Industry?

California's Senate Bill 553 (SB 553), which mandates a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) for most employers by July 1, 2024, has a primary focus on employee safety. However, it might also have a secondary benefit – reduced workers' compensation insurance costs.

Analysis of US EPA's Draft Risk Evaluation for Formaldehyde and Worker Health

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) draft risk evaluation of formaldehyde, released on March 15, 2024, raises significant concerns for worker health and worker compensation risk exposure.

The New York Game: A Baseball Tale Steeped in Labor Struggles

Kevin Baker's "The New York Game" isn't just a love letter to baseball and the Big Apple. It's a rich tapestry that weaves the evolution of America's pastime with the burgeoning organized labor movement and the fight for workplace safety. While baseball takes center stage, Baker doesn't shy away from the harsh realities early ballplayers face.

US Bans Asbestos

Today, March 18, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule to prohibit ongoing uses of chrysotile asbestos, the only known form of asbestos currently used in or imported to the United States. The ban on ongoing uses of asbestos is the first rule to be finalized under the 2016 amendments to the nation’s chemical safety law, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which received near-unanimous support in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. The action marks a major milestone for chemical safety after more than three decades of inadequate protections and serious delays during the previous administration to implement the 2016 amendments.

OSHA Fines Paterson NJ Contractor $1Million for Fall Violations

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a New Jersey contractor for again exposing workers to fall hazards, this time while working at a construction site in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.