The Florida division of workers’ compensation has launched a new online assistance program for employer coverage. The goal is to assist business owners in obtaining coverage for their industry. The coverage helps to protect employees from the negative impacts of injuries that occur while on the job.
Working on a road construction crew can be dangerous work. When your “office” is the side of a busy highway or interstate, simply doing your job can place you in life-threatening situations each day. Even though Florida doubles the original fine for speeding in work zones when workers are present, the fines are not enough to deter all drivers from putting construction crew employees at risk. When a construction worker is injured in a work zone, he or she can file a workers’ compensation claim to pay for medical treatment and provide temporary disability benefits. However, these benefits do not fully compensate the worker for all his losses and damages. As you approach a construction zone, remember the men and women working in the area are doing their job and deserve your patience and caution. Below are several suggestions to help avoid accidents in work zones. […]
Forklifts are used in a variety of jobs in Florida. These machines are extremely useful for efficiently moving items without placing the working in danger of suffering an injury from moving heavy or bulky items. Unfortunately, forklift accidents are a common workplace injury with over 20,000 injuries and over 100 deaths being reported each year from forklifts accidents.
One of the most common causes of forklift accidents is the lift overturning. An unloaded forklift can be dangerous, but an improperly loaded forklift can be deadly. A forklift should not be overloaded or carry items that it is not designed to carry. The first step in preventing workplace accidents involving forklifts is to institute safety measures and rules for the use of a forklift. The second step is to secure the forklift when not in use to prevent unauthorized use of the forklift. Three, employers need to provide training on how to use a forklift. […]
Jenie Mallari-Torres writing for the Florida Record reported that an Orange County woman has filed a lawsuit against Florida Hospital Medical Group, Inc. in the Orange Circuit Court over a disputed workers comp medical bill. She is alleging that Radiology Specialists of Florida is violating collection practices by attempting to collect a bill that was related to an on-the-job injury. The complaint alleges that for the past year, the company has been pursuing collection efforts for a medical bill that is related to a workers comp injury. The medical services were provided after the woman suffered an injury at work while she was employed as a crossing guard. She alleges the company knows that the injuries she was treated for were covered by Florida’s workers’ compensation system. […]
We should all get a good night’s sleep each night so that we can function at our top performance level the next day. However, many of us don’t get a full eight hours of sleep each night. In fact, EHS Today reports that 63 percent of workers report sleep deprivation during their work week. A lack of sleep can increase your risk of being injured in a work-related accident. […]
The Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA) issued a News Release last week announcing it has updated its Drug Impaired Driving: A Guide For States because of the continued increase in the number of drugged driving fatalities. According to information by the GHSA, 43% of fatally-injured drivers in 2015 tested positive for some type of drug, a much higher percent than alcohol-impaired driver fatalities for that year. The GHSA is urging states and lawmakers to take steps to crack down on drugged driving incidents. Introducing new programs, providing additional resources, training for law enforcement officers, and empowering a state-wide task force are some of the suggestions provided to states by the GHSA. […]
Almost 13,000 Americans are injured at work each day, according to a study by The National Safety Council. What is really frightening and discouraging is that nearly every injury is preventable. Keys to reducing the number of workplace injuries include:
One method of meeting these goals is by offering an incentive program for workers to increase active participation in safety training programs and increase the level of follow through on the lessons learned in safety education classes. Employees are more motivated to follow regulations and procedures when they receive rewards for their efforts. […]
Social media dominates the lives of Americans in almost every way from sharing reviews of restaurants and cat videos to debating political views. Anyone who doubts the power of social media needs only to look at the political landscape for the past year to see how social media can lift and crush a person within the same 24-hour period.
For most people, social media is harmless. It is a way to keep up with family and friends by sharing pictures, videos, and stories. With people frequently moving and families spread across the nation, social media has made it easier to feel as if we are still living just a few streets away. […]
Being injured at work is a serious situation that can be frightening for the employee. The fear of being without pay while you recover from a serious injury is a major concern for injured workers. Filing a workers’ compensation claim ensures you receive the care you need and the benefits you’re due as an injured worker. As you prepare to file a Florida workers’ comp claim, these are some important things you should know about the process and Florida workers comp laws.
Even if you think your injury is minor, report the incident as soon as it happens. Write down the details of the accident while it is fresh on your mind. This will also help your attorney if you need to hire a Boca Raton workers’ comp attorney to assist with your claim. Reporting the accident immediately helps avoid delays. It also provides a paper trail that can serve as evidence that you filed your claim in a timely manner. Failing to report an accident may result in your claim being denied. […]
Injuries at work happen more frequently than you would think. Most of the time, workplace accidents are minor and result in no injuries or injuries that quickly heal. However, some workplace injuries require medical care and result in a workers’ compensation claim. Below is a discussion of three injuries we see among Boca […]