Fayetteville Personal Injury Law Blog

Hauling chemical cargo poses unique risks

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Thursday, July 2, 2020.

If you are a commercial truck driver based in North Carolina, you will face multiple hazards other than road accidents. The risks range from musculoskeletal injuries to whole-body vibration and more. However, when it comes to hauling hazardous chemicals, the danger levels are significantly higher. Many chemicals present unique safety challenges, and you and your employer must adhere to all the safety standards.

Along with the measures to keep truck operators safe comes the responsibility to ensure that the recipients of the chemicals receive properly labeled products and that nothing or no one compromised the stability of those products during the trip. It might be a good idea to learn more about the risks and how to mitigate them.

Truckers face a whole lot more than road accident hazards

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Friday, June 12, 2020.

If you earn your living hauling cargo between North Carolina and other states, you put your life on the line each day. Along with the typical risks of road accidents, your occupation will expose you to a range of other work-related injuries. Reports by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate a rise in trucking deaths and injuries, while other industries are becoming safer.

Tens of thousands of big rig drivers lose work hours each year, and you can take precautions to avoid injuries. Although your employer is responsible for your safety at work, the nature of your job puts your safety in your own hands whenever you are on the road. Cuts, lacerations, sprains, strains, fractures and ergonomic injuries are not uncommon for commercial vehicle operators, and a variety of traumatic injuries lead to workers' compensation claims each year.

Even teachers face work-related hazards

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Thursday, June 4, 2020.

You deserve a safe workplace environment regardless of your chosen career. If you are a teacher in North Carolina, you may not realize that some of the risks faced by construction workers also threaten your safety. Although you will not need a fall arrest harness for working on elevated platforms, some of your tasks as a teacher could leave you with fall-related injuries.

Regardless of which authoritative body mandates work safety in your occupation, your employer must identify potential safety hazards and take steps to protect you and your colleagues. Whether that body is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or another agency with safety guidelines to protect educators in North Carolina, you may want to familiarize yourself with the steps to take in the event of a work-related injury.

Does your employer comply with prescribed safety standards?

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Thursday, May 7, 2020.

Employers nationwide, including North Carolina, must comply with the safety standards prescribed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Sadly, many employers choose to focus on the bottom line instead of employee safety. OSHA prescribes safety regulations for general industry, with which all employers must comply, and also industry-specific standards, such as those that apply to the construction industry.

If you are a construction worker, you will benefit from learning the safety standards mandated for your industry. With that knowledge, you can advocate for your own safety by reporting safety violations to OSHA. There will always be risks on construction sites, but it is when workers suffer preventable injuries that they might want to report dangerous conditions to authorities.

What can you expect from your employer regarding workers' comp?

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Thursday, April 30, 2020.

The intent of workers' compensation insurance is to protect the interests of workers who suffer an injury at work or who become ill as a result of exposure in the workplace. Most employers have to carry this type of insurance coverage, and you have the right to file a claim in the event of a work-related injury or illness. It may be in your interests to understand what benefits are available to you and what you can expect from your employer.

Employers have certain responsibilities regarding workers' compensation. As an employee, you will find it beneficial to know what these responsibilities include and what to do if you need to file a claim. Understanding the workers' compensation claims process is an important step in protecting your rights and interests after a work accident.

Concerning issues for North Carolina construction workers

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Friday, April 17, 2020.

If you're one of many North Carolina residents who work in the construction industry, you're likely already aware that such jobs typically rank high on most lists regarding inherent danger risks. As a construction worker, you face many immediate and long-term on-the-job health risks on a regular basis.

Your employer is legally obligated to inform you of known dangers on a job site. Your employer must also provide proper training and available safety equipment to help keep your injury risk as low as possible. Being proactive is always a good idea when it comes to job safety. There are certain injuries that are most likely to occur on a construction site, and the more you learn about how to avoid them, the better.

North Carolina nail salon workers face serious dangers

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Thursday, April 2, 2020.

When most people think of dangerous jobs, one of the last things they would think of is working in a nail salon. Unless you have a dissatisfied customer, you shouldn't be in any real danger. Right? Wrong.

You actually face several dangers every time you go into work. The more you understand about the injuries or illnesses you could suffer, the better prepared you may be to protect yourself.

March is Ladder Safety Month -- never assume a ladder is safe

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Thursday, March 5, 2020.

Although the proper use of ladders is crucial throughout the year, March is the chosen month to underscore the importance of ladder safety. This awareness month also serves to remind those workers in North Carolina and across the country who have become complacent about the potential consequences of ladder accidents. Workers in all industries use ladders -- from construction sites and fulfillment centers to office environments when a worker must pull a box of documents from the top shelf in the storeroom.

How safe are the ladders in your workplace? Does your employer provide safety training that covers inspection and identifying problems along with ladder choice? Safety authorities say most ladder accidents are preventable by compliance with safety standards.

Does your North Carolina neighbor have an aggressive dog?

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Friday, February 21, 2020.

Are you one of many North Carolina residents and people throughout the United States who consider themselves a lover of fur-babies? Perhaps, you have a beloved cat or dog, or maybe several of each. It's a fact that pets can become like family members, and losing one can be a terribly sorrowful experience. Just because you love animals, however, doesn't mean you think it's okay for your neighbor or passer-by to let an aggressive dog run loose.

There are dog behavior analysts who spend much time studying and observing various breeds of dog. Their goal is to try to determine if some dog breeds tend to be more aggressive than others. If you own a dog, it's up to you to keep others who come into the presence of your dog as safe as possible. Studies show there are, in fact, some breeds of dog that are more likely to bite than others.

Road construction workers keep working despite this major risk

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Friday, February 7, 2020.

There is no easy way to say it. Road construction workers put their lives on the line every time they go to a job site. It's a dangerous job. If they only had to worry about what their coworkers were doing, it wouldn't be as bad, but due to the nature of their work, they also have to worry about the public as well.

Motorists have no patience for construction zones and often travel through them at speeds too fast for the area. Sometimes, they simply don't see, or they ignore the cones or other barriers separating them from the workers. It's no surprise then that the biggest threat to road construction workers is the possibility of a vehicle striking them.