When there is combustible material suspended as dust in the air, it can, under certain circumstances, explode. The dust can explode from some materials that don't burn when they are in large pieces.There are many materials that will explode when in dust form. These...
Workplace Accidents
Events to honor workers who have died while on-the-job
Workers Memorial Day is April 28, and the AFL-CIO, which is made up of 56 national and international unions, will observe the day in the hope of renewing the fight for safer jobs.The Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Mine Safety and Health Act are in place so...
Federal safety agency says safety violations ‘cost man his life’
A fine of $226,000 has been proposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration against Dedicated TCS LLC. That Illinois tank-cleaning company is based in Lansing, Illinois, and has other facilities in Channahon, Illinois, and New Orleans, Louisiana.The fine...
The latest on-the-job injury report
It's a lot safer than it used to be to go to work, but there are still a very high number of people who are seriously injured while working.The Occupational Safety and Health Administration collected injury data from 26 states to create its latest report. The 26...
Opioid abuse increasing, employers concerned
The American Society of Addiction Medicine said that between 1999 and 2012, poisonings due to opiates increased 91 percent. Poisonings by heroin during the same time period went up 12 percent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's director,...
Illinois mining accident claims 1 life
A 20-year-old man recently died at the M-class Mine, which is located in Macedonia, Illinois. The Franklin County, Illinois, coroner said that the preliminary autopsy showed the man died from blunt trauma to his trunk, head, neck and extremities.The Franklin County...
Fatal workplace injury statistics for Illinois in 2014
Since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking fatal workplace accidents, the year with the highest number of fatalities in Illinois was 1996. That year, 262 people lost their lives. 2012 was the lowest year, with 146 fatalities.The preliminary numbers from 2014...
What are the main benefits after a workplace accident?
So you've been injured at work, and you know that workers' compensation means you're entitled to some benefits—but you're not sure what they are. Does your boss have to pay for everything, do you pick up the tab on your own, and what expenses even count? These...
Work accident? You’re not alone — 3 million injured in 2014
Did you know that nearly 3 million workers are injured or sickened every year on the job? A large percentage of those workers come from the Midwest, and Illinois definitely has its share of workers' compensation cases. Whether you have suffered from a ladder fall,...
Older workers more at risk for dying on the job
Americans are working longer as they age. The days of a "full" retirement pension with healthcare benefits are rapidly fading. Many workers have no pension, little savings and will be forced to rely on Social Security. With the minimum retirement age for many...