The North Carolina Workers Compensation Act is primarily geared towards compensating injuries by accident suffered at the work place, or a certain few listed occupational diseases like Asbestosis. For conditions which are not listed in the statute, North Carolina first asks whether the occupational disease is caused by conditions which are characteristic of the job. Secondly, North Carolina asks whether the worker was at an increased risk of being exposed to the dangerous conditions, versus someone in the general public.
How should you notify your employer of a safety concern?
Anytime you are preparing to bring up a concern to your employer, you may be feeling uneasy about how to approach your concern without sounding whiny. When the topic you wish to discuss is in relation to your safety in the workplace, understanding how to phrase your concern in a tactful manner can help you to be more genuine and confident in your conversation.
Why do construction workers suffer so many back injuries?
If you work construction, no one need tell you that your back takes a beating virtually every day. Your job requires you to lift, carry and move heavy tools and equipment almost constantly. This, in turn, puts constant stress and strain on your back that can lead to chronic painful back conditions or even actual back injury.
How can hazard assessment prevent accidents at work?
While it certainly should not take an accident at your work for company leaders to initiate an assessment into safety protocols, sometimes these situations can provide encouragement and motivation for your superiors to take action. If you have been the victim of a workplace accident in North Carolina, it is imperative that you be forthright in expressing your concerns about the incident you were involved in to help your employer prevent similar accidents in the future.
Construction accident injuries can be common for workers
The construction industry can be dangerous for workers who may suffer serious injuries on the job that impede their ability to work and earn a living. It is essential for injured construction workers to be familiar with workers' compensation benefits and other options that can help them when they were injured on a construction site.
Workers' compensation and the independent medical examination
If you've been injured in a workplace accident, then you're probably concerned not only about your physical recovery, but also about your financial stability. An unexpected on-the-job injury or illness can knock you out of work for a significant period of time, thereby forcing you to forego much needed wages and incur significant medical and rehabilitative costs. Fortunately, workers' compensation is available to injured workers, but these individuals need to be aware of how the law applies to these situations so that they can pursue benefits as aggressively as possible.
What is a "repetitive stress injury"?
Conversations regarding workers' compensation injuries often involve discussions of what are commonly known as "repetitive stress injuries." There are multiple different types of jobs that could cause these issues, and the symptoms may manifest in a few different areas. So, what exactly is a repetitive stress injury, and how do you know if you have one?
U.S. meatpacking workers suffering high rates of injury
Almost 15 years ago, the Human Rights Watch organization began documenting and investigating the abuse of the rights of workers in the United States meat and poultry industries. What they found was disturbing, to say the least. These workers present some of the highest rates in the country of workplace injury and illness.
Construction, transportation lead state in workplace fatalities
Accidents can happen in any kind of workplace, but some kinds of workplaces are more hazardous than others. A worker can suffer a broken arm after tripping and falling at an office building, but tripping and falling at a construction site can easily lead to much worse injuries. According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, the deadliest industries in North Carolina are private construction, transportation and warehousing.
Dealing with the disruption caused by an on-the-job injury
Most people in North Carolina who get up and leave for work in the morning expect to return to the same place they left: home, safe and sound. However, there are many people who face daily danger on the jobsites they visit. Some workers are aware of the dangers they face and attempt to take the proper precautions. Others, like office workers, don't think of their work environments as being unsafe. Unfortunately, across the spectrum, injuries can occur on-the-job and can disrupt life in a major way.
