New York City workers filing workers’ comp claims because of heat

• Data from the New York Workers’ Compensation Board found 420 injuries in New York City were explicitly attributed to heat since 2002.
• In addition,  7% of the workers are more likely to be injured on the job. At 95 degrees, the likelihood of an accident goes up by one more point, to 8%.
• In Workers’ Compensation Board data, 420 injuries in New York City were explicitly attributed to heat since 2002.
• Construction workers see the most dramatic increases in injuries as the temperature climbs.
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A possible shift in workers’ comp in Washington State

• The Finance Department in Olympia, Washington, might shift workers’ comp insurance from the current system to the state-operated Labor and Industries program.
• Finance Director Aaron BeMiller discussed the key considerations in the potential transition, which included the increasing claims costs and its impact on the fund balance.
• In 2021, the city had about $600,000 in medical payments, excluding time loss compensation, which constitutes a part of the total expense of $1.8 million.
• Medical payments in 2022 amounted to almost $1.3 million, contributing a total final expense of $2.6 million
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Colorado contractor faces sentencing after worker’s death

• The owner of an Avon construction company whose failure to follow required federal safety standards led to the 2021 trench collapse death of a 23-year-old employee in Breckenridge awaits a November sentencing date after pleading guilty to manslaughter on Aug. 3, 2023.
• The plea follows a criminal referral by the U.S. Department of Labor after Peter Dillon and his now-defunct company, A4S LLC refused to require the use of proper safety equipment to protect his workers.
• The refusal contributed to a trench collapse in which a company employee, Marlon Diaz, suffered fatal injuries as he installed a residential sewer line.
•  A4S LLC received three willful citations from OSHA in May 2022 for not ensuring the excavation was inspected by a competent person, failing to instruct employees on the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and not having a trench protective system,
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Awareness key to preventing construction site accidents

• Construction site accidents, including incidents that result in death,  happen frequently and are routinely reported to OSHA.
• The sounds of a construction site can be perilous if you cannot hear them properly.
• While headphones that minimize noise exposure at the job site can mitigate hearing damage, they can also hinder important communication channels.
• Clearly communicating safety regulations with workers will prevent injury or death.
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