An occupational disease or occupational illness is one that occurs specifically because of a worker’s activities and responsibilities or exposure to workplace environmental conditions. Many workers have an occupation that requires them to perform dangerous tasks or that exposes them to hazardous substances. Others have jobs that can cause illness over time through repetitive tasks… Read More »
Employers have a duty to provide a safe working environment for their employees. That means a job site free from known risks and hazards to keep workers safe and healthy. OSHA provides guidelines and enforcement to ensure employers stay compliant with safety practices and procedures in this regard. Still, the United States Bureau of Labor… Read More »
Our internal clocks are designed to keep us awake during daylight hours and asleep at night, but many jobs require workers to adjust their bodies to the opposite kinds of schedules. People who work as nurses, doctors, at 24-hour grocery stores, truck drivers, night shifts at construction sites, and other kinds of jobs with odd… Read More »
People who were exposed to asbestos on the job often suffer from lung disease and cancers that take years, even decades, to develop and be diagnosed. One tragic and devastating lung illness is mesothelioma. Mesothelioma causes intense damage to the lungs that leads to severe breathing issues and quite often untimely death. More than 96… Read More »
Each year, thousands of people are injured on the job. Their injuries are often easily diagnosed: a back strain, broken bone, or carpal tunnel syndrome, for example. But sometimes, a worker’s on-the-job injury is not readily apparent or does not show up until months or years later. This is often the case with medical conditions… Read More »
Driving a truck is a demanding job involving long hours and strenuous work. Drivers face several health hazards at rates that are often higher than other jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that in 2019, tractor-trailer and heavy truck drivers had the second-highest rate of days away from work among all occupations. The… Read More »
In the early months of the current pandemic, the state and the nation worked to slow the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), closing restaurants, schools, and offices temporarily. However, for the frontline workers in hospitals, grocery stores, and other workplaces, staying home was not an option. These men and women held the front line… Read More »
November is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Month. COPD is comprised of a group of progressive lung illnesses, including emphysema, irreversible asthma, and chronic bronchitis. Emphysema is a condition where the ends of the smallest air passages of the lungs are no longer functional. With chronic bronchitis, the lining of the bronchial tubes in… Read More »
Health and safety hazards are always present; however, winter brings unique dangers. When ice and cold weather impact a worker’s environment, it can present challenges to a person’s health and safety. This means a higher likelihood of illnesses, injuries, and accidents. During winter, both employers and employees should take proactive steps to avoid an injury… Read More »
Governor Phil Murphy recently signed a new law that creates a rebuttable presumption of workers’ compensation coverage for Coronavirus cases contracted by “essential employees” during the ongoing pandemic. Under this new law, if an employee contracts COVID-19 while at work, a presumption arises that the contracted illness was work-related. This presumption allows for the worker… Read More »
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