When the average American thinks about workplace injuries, it is unlikely that they consider National Football League athletes among the ranks of the wounded. Still, football is work, and a massive number of employment-related injuries are attributable to the sport each year. As the fight over athletes' workers' compensation continues, Arizona's nearby neighbor California is entering the spotlight because of its recent controversy.
Man awarded $1.15M in connection with fall injuries
Falls are among the most common industry-related injuries in America today. Workers throughout Arizona and other states suffer serious injuries when they fall from significant heights. A fall from just a few feet can cause significant harm, depending upon the surface and speed of impact. A man from the upper Northwest has settled his workplace injury case relating to a 50-foot fall that happened while he was cleaning an unused county-owned water tank.
Temporary workers' injuries largely ignored
Temporary workers struggle with workplace rights throughout the nation and workers in California have gone on strike to protest poor working conditions in Wal-Mart distribution centers. Temporary workers in Arizona and elsewhere have been exposed to hazards on the job that lead to workplace injuries and accidents. A newly released memo from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration shows just how vulnerable temporary workers are to on-the-job harm.
Man falls 40 feet from cherry picker
A cherry picker overturned on Dec. 6 in Arizona's neighboring state of California, sending a worker plunging more than 40 feet to the ground. Reports from the scene show that the man, who was in his early 70s, sustained several workplace injuries in connection with the accident, which happened while he was painting a building.
Two amputations in three months raise OSHA suspicions
Investigators have taken note of the odd circumstances surrounding a set of recent leg amputations at a concrete plant in Fontana. The victims were both working at the Oldcastle concrete plant when the workplace injuries occurred. Further, a man was killed in the most recent incident when he was struck in the head with an errant cable. The plant is currently under heavy scrutiny from the state's occupational safety and health authority.
Construction worker injured falling into trench
A construction worker dong work at Northern Avenue and 28th Avenue in Phoenix recently was injured falling into a trench and was unable to climb out by himself. A number of firefighters rushed to the scene to carry out a rescue operation. Co-workers watched nervously as they hoped that their friend had not suffered fatal workplace injuries.
Screening procedures reduce employee injuries
Newly released numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that indirect and direct costs associated with workplace injuries can affect more than just a company's bottom line. Worker morale, administrative time costs and schedule delays can lead to cultural changes that can ultimately cost the company money. Instead of waiting until someone gets hurt, experts say that post-offer physical screenings can help employers know whether their new hires are able to complete the physical demands of their new jobs.
Workers killed in wall collapse
Two men were killed in a workplace accident in a nearby southern state when a retaining wall collapsed recently. The men, ages 60 and 68, were attempting to reinforce the 40-year-old wall when it caved in on them, according to reports from the scene. One of the victims' sons, a 45-year-old man, escaped the accident with minor injuries.
Workers burned in school gas blast
A reported gas explosion at a Western middle school left three men suffering from workplace injuries, according to county officials. The accident, which happened in a state adjacent to Arizona, caused a partial roof collapse and explosion, which injured the three men. No one was reported to be caught beneath debris from the roof.
Construction worker crushed by falling concrete
A 52-year-old West Coast construction worker has sustained life-threatening workplace injuries after a massive concrete slab fell from an upper floor. The man was operating an excavator on a university campus construction project when the concrete struck him, trapping him in the cab of the machine.
