Three safety tips for marijuana industry workers

Feb 15 2017

Marijuana is an emerging industry in Colorado, and with new business comes new laws and regulations surrounding workers’ rights and workplace safety. Five years after the enactment of Amendment 64, the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment has released its “Guide to Worker Safety and Health in the Marijuana Industry.” Three cannabis companies have been fined for workplace safety violations since 2012, so the guide is an important first step to minimizing dangers and potential injuries for workers. Employees in the marijuana industry are often tasked with handling chemicals and electrical equipment, both of which can present hazards in…

Continue Reading

Driving injured increases risk of trucking accidents

Feb 13 2017

Trucking is one of the most dangerous jobs in America. From severe weather conditions to careless passenger car drivers on the road, truckers often face unpredictable hazards during the daily drive. Not only are truckers more likely to be injured on the job, but their overall health is often worse than the average worker. Although the causes of injuries and ailments often feel like “just part of the job,” truck drivers can take action to improve their health and safety on the road. A national survey in 2014 found that 88 percent of truck drivers suffered from at least one…

Continue Reading

Understanding more about permanent impairment — II

Feb 08 2017

In a previous post, we began discussing how injured workers who ultimately find themselves unable to return to their old roles or take new positions with modified duties can derive some much-needed comfort from the fact that they may be found to have a permanent impairment, which means they would be eligible for regular benefits. Specifically, we discussed how a physician will make a determination as to whether there is a permanent impairment and, if so, assign one of three different forms, including scheduled impairment, whole person impairment or permanent total disability. If the workers’ compensation insurer agrees with the…

Continue Reading

Who Is Most At Risk For Workplace Injuries?

Feb 03 2017

Whether your job is dangerous or not, there is always the chance that you could be hurt or become ill due to workplace conditions. But many jobs pose only a low risk of such a thing happening, while others are much more likely to lead to a workplace injury. While you may have some ideas about which jobs create this additional danger, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has collected data so that we don’t have to just guess, we can know exactly which workers are most likely to be harmed at work. Which workers are most at risk of…

Continue Reading

Experienced Workers’ Comp Help For Injured Construction Workers

Feb 01 2017

For some people who are injured on the job, workers’ compensation is just a chapter in their lives. Others — including many construction workers — have their lives turned upside down. At Alverson + O’Brien, we want to help you make things right again. That may mean getting you the compensation you need to recover and return to work, or ensuring you receive permanent disability benefits if work is no longer an option. What Every Construction Worker Should Know About Workers’ Comp Here are three things you should know if you are injured on a construction job: It doesn’t matter…

Continue Reading

Fate of certain OSHA regulations remains uncertain under new administration

Jan 31 2017

Whenever a new administration takes control of the White House, questions inevitably swirl around who will be selected to head certain high-profile agencies and what changes in direction are ahead for the next four years. Indeed, stories about the potential leadership and planned course of action for federal agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Environmental Protection Agency never fail to generate considerable headlines. For the rest of the agencies, however, the public excitement is far less, and nascent administrations have historically made them less of a priority during their first 100 days. Interestingly enough, however, legal experts…

Continue Reading

Court of Appeals Decision on David Alan York v. Industrial Claim Appeals Office of Colorado

Jan 31 2017

On Thursday January 26, 2017, the CO Court of Appeals issued a decision in David Alan York v. Industrial Claim Appeals Office of the State of Colorado wherein they affirmed the Administrative Law Judge’s (ALJ) opinion that maximum medical improvement (MMI) can be found based on the opinions of a 24 month DIME and a DIME physician without a finding of MMI by an Authorized Treating Physician. Learn more about events and news at the Colorado Judicial Branch website.

Continue Reading

Understanding the true scope of construction injuries

Jan 24 2017

Earlier this month, our blog reported that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics had recently released its 2015 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary, and how it once again illustrated how workers in certain sectors are at a significantly elevated risk of losing their lives owing to the duties they perform, conditions they work in and tools they use. By way of example, consider the CFOI’s findings concerning the construction industry, which together with the extraction industry, saw 924 fatalities in 2015, marking the single highest level in seven years. Indeed, construction laborers, carpenters, electricians and plumbers were singled out…

Continue Reading

OSHA to initiate rulemaking addressing workplace violence in healthcare

Jan 20 2017

When we envision career fields in which the risk of workplace violence is especially acute, our thoughts naturally gravitate to areas like law enforcement and security-based work. While it’s true that occupations like police officer, prison official or security guard do indeed have high rates of work-related injuries attributable to violent acts by third parties, so too do those who work in the health care sector, particularly nurses. If you have a hard time believing it, consider that data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that in 2014 alone an astounding 52 percent of all reported incidents of…

Continue Reading

Examining statistics on construction accidents

Jan 18 2017

In 2015, there were more than 900 deadly construction accidents, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, even people who are fortunate enough to survive a construction accident may face an uphill battle and a long road to recovery. On job sites in Denver, and all throughout Colorado, construction accident injuries may result in lifelong disabilities, costly medical bills, lost wages and a host of other hardships. Because of the serious and sometimes fatal nature of construction accidents, it is pivotal for workers and employers to understand how these incidents can upend lives focus on ways to prevent them. The Occupational…

Continue Reading