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…

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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…

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Nurses in Danger: Series Conclusion

Jan 17 2017

It Sounds Too Good To Be True… But Maybe It’s Not Megan appreciated Amy’s advice, but didn’t know if she had enough in her savings account to afford an attorney. Amy chimed in and told her that she worried about that as well, but found that workers’ comp attorneys don’t charge upfront. They are paid a capped percentage of the benefits a client is awarded, and a state agency must sign off on the fee before a lawyer gets paid. So, she told Megan, you’re able to get a lawyer to help you with all of the complicated workers’ comp…

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Is it important for construction workers to wear harnesses?

Jan 13 2017

As a Colorado construction worker, you may think that safety harnesses are a suggestion, not a necessity. Many construction workers do not always utilize safety harnesses. Although you may think larger concerns exist, Occupational Health and Safety says that working without a harness is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration protocol which is violated most often. The issue is important because falls make up 36 percent of worker deaths. There are a few key reasons why construction workers do not always wear safety harnesses. You might claim that harnesses are hot and uncomfortable when carrying all the tools needed to…

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Understanding more about permanent impairment

Jan 11 2017

While the majority of injured workers are typically able to return to their old roles or take new positions with modified duties, there are some workers for whom this is impossible owing to the severity of their bodily trauma. By way of example, consider workers who have lost limbs, suffered traumatic brain injuries or endured spinal trauma. As discouraging as this is, workers in this position can derive some measure of comfort from the fact that they may be found to have a permanent impairment and, by extension, be eligible for regular benefits. Those individuals unable to fully recover from…

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Nurses in Danger: Part Three

Jan 11 2017

It’s been a week since Megan hurt her back moving a large patient at work. She has been in so much pain that she hasn’t been able to work, and she’s starting to worry about what step she should take next. She reaches out to Amy, a friend and fellow nurse who hurt her back three years earlier.  Questions Lead To Concerns – What Should I Be Doing?! When Megan calls Amy, Amy asks her if she’s done a few things: Did you tell your floor manager, supervisor or HR department about your injury? Are you going to the doctor…

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Nurses in Danger: Part Two

Jan 06 2017

When Megan’s back gave out while lifting a large patient, the first thing she thought of once she had the pain under control was “How many other nurses has this happened to?” She knew of at least three nurses on her floor who had suffered a similar injury at one point in their careers. All of her nurse friends knew of someone who had suffered some type of trauma when lifting a large patient or when a patient’s body shifted unexpectedly while being moved. But are nursing injuries, especially those caused by lifting patients, truly as prevalent as they seemed…

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Much-anticipated federal report outlines deadliest work hazards of 2015

Jan 05 2017

Now that 2016 is officially in the rearview mirror, we will more than likely start to see a steady stream of retrospective reports from media outlets across the nation discussing everything from films and music to world events and politics. It’s important to note that this tendency toward retrospection at this time of the year is not confined to the popular media. Indeed, this is the time of the year that both state and federal agencies start to release reports summarizing their 12-month findings on a host of important topics. By way of example, consider the recent release of the…

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Neck & Back Injuries

Jan 01 2017

Workers in many occupations are at daily risk for a serious back injury or neck injury. Often, when an employee “pulls something” or feels sudden pain or weakness while performing work, the injury requires many weeks or months of treatment, rest and rehabilitation. When the diagnosis is a herniated disk, traumatic cervical injury, severe nerve impingement or another disabling condition, surgery may be necessary – and continuing to work may be impossible. Take Steps To Protect Your Claim And Benefits If you were injured on your job in Denver or anywhere in Colorado and need help securing the workers’ compensation…

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Nurses in Danger: A Series

Dec 28 2016

Megan, a nurse at a Denver area hospital, started her day just like any other. She got to work, checked out the patient list and the notes from the nurses on the previous shift, and was immediately pulled into helping a patient (Mr. Smith). Mr. Smith was an older man who had been on Megan’s floor for a few days, and he was perfectly pleasant. The only problem was that he was classified as bariatric (weighing approximately 350 pounds), so moving him was quite difficult. Although the hospital had started to invest in equipment such as hoyers and standers, they…

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