Houston work accident attorney’
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...
Worst Workplace Fatalities of 2011
Thursday, January 5th, 2012
The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health has compiled a list of the worst workplace fatalities that Houston workplace injury lawyers came across last year. The following incidents are included in the list.
- A grain elevator explosion at the Bartlett Crane Co. in Kansas in October which killed 6 workers
- A chemical dust explosion at a Tennessee facility which killed 3 workers
- An electrocution incident at Monsanto Corporation in Illinois that killed 2 teenage workers and injured 8 others
- A manhole accident in North Carolina which killed 2 workers
- An oil rig explosion in Wyoming In August which cost three workers...
Houston Company Likely to Face More Than $1 Million in Fines after OSHA Investigation
Saturday, December 31st, 2011
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is likely to propose penalties of more than $1 million against a Houston-based company. The agency found numerous safety violations at the facility operated by Piping Technology.
Overall, the piping products manufacturer received a total of 30 citations for failing to protect employees in the path of dangerous machinery. According to the investigations, the company directly exposed workers who operated dangerous machinery like band saws to amputation hazards. Further, the company misled agency investigators about the use of the equipment.
The charges that Piping Technology faces are very serious. The Occupational Safety and...
Owner of Upper Big Branch Mine to Pay $209 Million in Penalties
Sunday, December 11th, 2011
The owner of the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia, which was the scene of a deadly mine explosion last year, has agreed to pay more than $200 million in penalties, and to make changes to prevent accidents in the future.
Alpha Natural Resources, which bought out Massey Energy, the parent company of the mine, has agreed to pay $209 million in penalties. The fine is more than 40 times the size of any fine paid out in a coal mine explosion or disaster. The Upper Big Branch mine explosion in April 2010 was the worst mining accident in...
Industry Groups Oppose Restrictions on Worker Exposure to Carcinogens.
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is considering restricting worker exposure to crystalline silica, a known carcinogen that workers in general industry and maritime industries are frequently exposed to. However, industry groups are opposing the agency's efforts.
Over the past decade, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been trying to restrict worker exposure to the carcinogen. Crystalline silica is a common element in the earth, and workers in the construction industry, the maritime industry and general industry may be exposed to the carcinogen. This carcinogen in its respirable form is associated with silicosis, lung cancer, respiratory diseases as well...
Texas Company Cited for Violations after Worker’s Electrocution Death
Sunday, November 20th, 2011
In June, an oil rig worker performing repair work on a rig near Ozona, Texas was killed in an electrocution accident. The company that operated the rig, Ringo Drilling has now been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for several violations.
The agency has cited the company for several serious violations, including failure to provide training in avoiding electrical hazards, failure to protect workers from falls by failing to provide with guard rails, and failure to train them about the proper use of stepladders. The company has been cited for four serious violations.
The agency has also cited the...
Texas Drilling Company Cited after Fatal Lamesa Accident
Thursday, November 10th, 2011
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a drilling company in an accident that caused the deaths of two workers at the site. The incident occurred on June 11 at the Robinson Drilling facility.
Five employees were working on drilling operations at Truitt Woods Field, Well No. 1, Rig No. 3 near Lamesa, when a piece of equipment came apart and hit the two employees. They sustained fatal injuries.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration began its investigation into the accident, and has cited the company for several repeat and serious violations. These violations include failure to prevent such struck-by...
After Fatal Kansas Accident, Focus on Safety at Grain Handling Facilities
Thursday, November 10th, 2011
An explosion at a Kansas grain elevator that killed six workers last month has brought into sharp focus the safety measures at grain handling facilities in Texas and nationwide. The explosion occurred at the Bartlett Grain Co. located about 50 miles northwest of Kansas City.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has begun an investigation into the Kansas grain elevator explosion. The investigation is expected to take six months to complete, and we will then have answers as to what exactly went wrong here. However, according to the Associated Press, the agency had not inspected the elevator since...
Career Construction Workers Will Suffer At Least One Injury in Lifetime
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
The results of a new study into construction safety should not really come as a surprise to Houston workplace accident lawyers, who are familiar with the risks that construction workers face every day on the job. The study finds that career construction workers, or those who have made this profession their lifelong career, are at a much higher risk of workplace fatalities and injuries.
These workers have a risk of being injured or suffering an occupational illness at least once, if not more, during their time in the industry. These workers also have a much higher risk of...
OSHA’s Top Ten Citations for Workplace Safety
Friday, November 4th, 2011
Every year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration releases its top ten citations for workplace safety, and every year, there's nothing on the list that really surprises Houston workplace accident lawyers. Most of the spots on the list are occupied by the same violations year after year, although there are slight changes in the way these rank on the list.
This year is no different. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has partnered with the National Safety Council to release the top ten most frequently cited safety violations of 2011. This year, the top spots on the list...
