Safety Issues’ Category
Narrowing Difference in Workplace Injury Rates for Senior, Younger Workers
Thursday, February 9th, 2012
For years, there was a substantial difference in injury rates for senior workers compared to younger workers. However, those differences have begun to narrow. According to statistics, in the year 2009, the incident rate for workers between the age of 20 and 24, was the same as for workers between the age of 55 and 64. The rate for both categories of workers was 97 and 93 per 10,000 full time workers respectively.
Back in 1994, the incident rate for younger workers was 300 for every 10,000 workers, while in the case of older workers, it was 200 for every 10,000...
Indigestion Medication Linked to Increased Risk of Hip Fracture in Women
Thursday, February 9th, 2012
Commonly-used indigestion medications are being linked to an increased risk of fractures in postmenopausal women. According to doctors at the Massachusetts General Hospital, these medications called proton pump inhibitors can increase the risk of hip fractures by as much as 35%. The results of the study have been published in the British Medical Journal.
The study finds that the medication can also reduce the body's ability to absorb calcium improperly. This failure to absorb calcium can lead to brittle bones, making people more susceptible to fractures.
The researchers studied a total of 80,000 women, all of postmenopausal age. Women who took...
Child Car Safety Seats Recalled Because of Harness Failures
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012
Britax Child Safety is recalling more than 14,000 infant car seats because of a possible risk of harness failure that could expose a child to the injury hazards in an accident. About 14,220 infant car seats are included in the recall which has been announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
According to the company, the recall is linked to a potential defect in the harness adjuster, which can cause the harness to fail to restrain the child. This could cause the harness to become detached from the seat, rendering the straps unable to restrain the child. The National...
Texas Scientists Testing Spinal Cord Injury Drug On Dogs
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012
Scientists at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine are scheduled to begin testing an exciting new spinal cord injury treatment on dogs. If the tests are successful, as Galveston car accident lawyers hope they will be, then tests on human beings will be the next step.
The dogs included in the study will be those with short legs and long torso like daschunds, which have been found to be at a slightly higher risk of spinal cord injury. The first phase of testing has already been completed on mice at the University Of California in...
Patients with Anxiety, Depression Less Likely to Recover Fully after Orthopedic Surgery
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012
Doctors have a word of caution for auto accident and workplace accident victims in the Houston area who may be in line for orthopedic surgery. Patients who suffer from anxiety, low-grade depression, and other signs of poor emotional health may have much lower chance of recovering completely after they undergo an orthopedic surgery to treat fractures and other injuries.
In fact according to some orthopedic surgeons, while medical science has advanced to the point where a patient's quality of life can be dramatically improved after surgery, the patient's emotional health does play a critical role in determining the quality of...
Study Finds Brain Adapts Quickly to Immobilized Arm after Injury
Wednesday, January 18th, 2012
According to a study that has just been published in the Journal Neurorology, the brain of a person who has suffered an arm injury or has lost his arm, begins to adapt to the circumstances, as quickly as within 2 weeks after the injury. It's why persons, who suffer an arm or hand fracture or any other injury that prevents them from using their arm or hand, are quickly able to learn how to perform routine tasks using their uninjured arm.
According to researchers, certain areas of the brain that are needed to compensate for the injury begin...
CPSC Recalls Children’s Robes Due to Fire Risks
Thursday, December 29th, 2011
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall of children's robes, because these don't meet federal inflammability standards, and are susceptible to fires.
The recall involves more than 1,000 fleece robes for children that were imported by Hanna Andersson of Oregon. The robes were manufactured in China. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, these robes do not meet inflammability standards, and pose a possible burning hazard to a child.
So far, there have been no injuries reported from the use of these robes, but the Consumer Product Safety Commission believes that the risk is strong enough to recall the...
Federal Panel Recommends Tough Approach to Sleep Apnea among Truck Drivers
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011
Two federal trucking safety panels have advised the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that the agency should toughen its approach to the diagnosis and treatment of truck drivers who suffer from sleep apnea.
The recommendations were made by the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee and the Medical Review Board. Both committees will also collaborate to produce final recommendations for a rule that will set the standards for the evaluation of drivers for sleep apnea. The recommendations made by the boards could include such conditions as immediate disqualification of a truck driver if he falls asleep at the wheel of a...
Holiday Decorating Injuries on the Rise
Thursday, December 15th, 2011
Tis the season to be jolly, but more and more people seem to be neglecting safety when they're caught up in the spirit of the holidays. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there has been an increase in the number of people being taken to emergency rooms after suffering injuries while decorating trees and homes for the holidays.
There has been a rise in the number of injuries occurring in falls from ladders while stringing lights, cuts, wounds and lacerations from broken glass ornaments and other decorating-related injuries. More than 30,000 people were injured in these activities, and had...
Ban on Hand-Held Cell Phone Use for Truck Drivers Effective Soon
Wednesday, December 7th, 2011
In the next few weeks, a ban on the use of handheld cell phones by commercial truck drivers will go into effect. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has finalized a rule that bans the use of handheld cell phones by commercial truck drivers, except in emergency situations. The rule follows another one on texting while driving for commercial truck and bus drivers.
The rule is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on December 2. It'll go into effect about 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register. Under the rule, commercial truck drivers who use...
