More and more people in Connecticut are bicycling for their commutes, exercise or fun. Yet bicycle accidents accounted for 2.2 percent of all traffic crashes in the U.S. in 2016, most of which took place in urban areas and between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Due to this alarming figure, it's important for people to understand the basics of bicycle safety.
If left untreated, occupational asthma can worsen
Many Connecticut workers are subject to working with and around toxic substances. For those who are, company management is acutely aware of the possible dangers and should take every preventative step possible to ensure the safety of its workers. Yet there lies a hidden potential for harm for many workers that does not involve unsafe working conditions.
Common injuries in the workplace
Workers in Connecticut may encounter serious hazards on the job, especially when they regularly engage in physical activity and other arduous work. Workplace accidents and injuries can cost businesses money and time, but they can be particularly devastating for workers who are hurt. People can be injured so severely that they lose days and weeks away from the job; some may become permanently disabled as a result of a workplace incident. However, many on-the-job injuries are actually preventable when employers encourage a culture of safety and take proper preventative measures.
Prepare your teen driver for winter road conditions
It’s the middle of October and that means that the holiday season is officially upon us. The leaves on the trees have changed and before we know it, Connecticut will be covered in snow. You have driven your way through several winters, but your new teen driver hasn’t.
Truck accidents influence movement for change in law
Large commercial trucks have the potential to cause major accidents on Connecticut roads. According to federal data, large truck crash fatalities rose significantly between 2009 and 2014. Despite this problem, trucks are not required to use crash-avoidance technology, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Association has largely ignored pleas from the National Transportation Safety Board to change this law.
OSHA updates its emphasis on trenching and excavations safety
Construction workers in Connecticut may be interested in OSHA's new update to its National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation. The update, which was released on Oct. 1, supplants the 1985 special emphasis instruction on trenching and excavation.
Truck accident fatalities buck trend by rising in 2017
Motor vehicle accident fatalities in Connecticut and around the country fell slightly in 2017 after rising worryingly in 2015 and 2016 according to Fatality Analysis Reporting System data released on Oct 3 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Road deaths fell by 2 percent overall in 2017 with especially sharp falls in the number of cyclists and van occupants killed. However, the number of road users killed in accidents involving commercial vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or more bucked the downward trend by surging 16 percent from 725 in 2016 to 841 in 2017.
OIG: lack of data led to OSHA underreporting injuries and deaths
The Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General has called out OSHA for underreporting workplace injuries and fatalities. The safety organization revised its rule on how employers are to report serious work-related illnesses and injuries as well as deaths. However, it appears that a lack of data has led to the inability to enforce those rules. Employers in Connecticut will want to know more.
