Friday, September 7, 2007

Work Site Injuries Cost Billions Each Year

Most Americans between the ages of 22 and 65 spend almost 50% of their waking hours at work, and every year millions of Americans suffer injuries and thousands die as a result of workplace injuries and accidents. The total direct and indirect costs associated with these injuries were estimated to be $155.5 billion or nearly 3% of the gross domestic product (GDP). Direct costs included medical expenses for hospitals, doctors, medications as well as health administration costs. Indirect costs include loss of wages, cost of fringe benefits and employer retraining and workplace disruption costs.

Workers' Compensation covers roughly 27% of all these costs and taxpayers paid approximately 18% of these costs through contributions to Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid.

Workplace deaths and injuries may be decreasing according to recent statistics published by the United States Department of Labor and Industries; however, when workplace accidents do occur, the injuries are usually serious and sometimes fatal. Construction workers, especially, are in a high-risk industry, and more work for construction companies means more pressure on construction workers to produce.

Injury rates are high in the building trades, in natural resource extraction and in some manufacturing industries. According to Leonard Smith, a spokesman for the Teamsters union local headquartered in Seattle, Washington, some employers are just not making safety a priority. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is estimated that 1,200 American construction workers die in falls on the job each year. While the construction industry only employs about 7 percent of the nation's workforce, construction sites accounted for 21 percent of workplace deaths.

One of the possible solutions offered to help decrease the number of construction work site injuries is to increase the inspectors-per-worker ratio in the states that do not have enough inspectors for the size of the state. For example, Idaho has just nine accident investigators covering the entire state whereas Washington just hired 11 additional inspectors for the state assigned solely to examine and certify cranes.

If other states would follow Washington's lead and hire more inspectors, the number of work site injuries and deaths may decrease in time. In the meantime, industry workers must continue to be very careful at their work sites and be aware of the hazards that surround them.

If you or a loved one has suffered or died due to a worksite accident in Philadelphia or anywhere in Pennsylvania, please contact the Work Site Accident Injury Lawyers at Pomerantz Perlberger & Lewis LLP.

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posted by sdsd99498 @ 8:50 PM 0 comments

Some Tips to Avoid Dog Bites

For years, dogs have been referred to as "man's best friend"; however, each year over 4.5 million people, half of them under the age of 13, are bitten by dogs in the United States. Eighty percent of those incidents involve dogs that the victim knows and interacts with regularly. Because children tend to get excited around dogs and often approach them too quickly and/or too loudly, children are three times more likely to sustain a serious dog bite than adults.

How to Approach a Strange Dog

Never try to pet a dog in his owner's car as dogs are very protective of their space and that of their owner.
Never pet a dog that is behind a fence; they are protecting their property and will most likely bite.
Never pet a dog without asking the owner's permission. If the owner indicates it's ok, approach the dog slowly and quietly, let the dog sniff your hand, and then gently pet the dog's sides or back.
Never pet a dog that is playing with a toy; the dog may think you are trying to take his toy from him.
Never approach a dog that is eating or sleeping; startled or frightened animals are much more likely to bite.

Like humans, dogs use body language to communicate emotions such as anger or fear. Teach your children how to read a dog's body language to reduce their chances of being bitten. An angry dog's ears may stand up, the fur on his back may stand on end, and the tail may be pointed straight up. An angry dog will also usually bare its teeth, growl, and stare at the approaching threat. A dog that is frightened may crouch to the ground, put its tail between its legs and fold its ears back.

Loose dogs often pose very serious threats and should not. If a loose dog approaches you, avoid eye contact and slowly walk away from the dog. If the dog comes right up to you, however, stop and stand perfectly still with your arms and hands at your sides. Never, ever try to outrun a loose dog.

According to the National Association for Human and Environmental Education, most dog bites can be prevented if these simple suggestions are followed.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a dog bite in Chicago or anywhere in Illinois, please visit the website of the experienced Animal Bites Attorneys at Harvey L. Walner & Associates, LTD.

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posted by sdsd99498 @ 8:14 PM 0 comments