Georgia workers

Published on: December 12, 2011

Georgia Worker Seriously Injured in Power Line Electrocution – Workers’ Compensation Claim Likely

A worker in Kennesaw, Georgia was seriously injured in an electrocution accident last month.The man, a welder was in a bucket truck when the boom of the truck came in contact with a high-voltage overhead power line.It was a 4160 V power line, and the impact immediately resulted in serious electrical injuries to the man.He was rushed to the local hospital burn unit, and then transferred to a burn center in Augusta.

The man’s employer, Vulcan Materials and the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration are investigating the work accident. In the event there is a personal injury claim against a third-party in addition to any workers’ compensation claim, the reports from these investigations will be vitally important. to the personal injury lawyer handling the case.

Many occupations require workers to be in close contact with high-voltage power lines.These workers include construction workers, mining workers, truck drivers, people in the tree trimming and tree service industry, and agricultural workers.Electrical utility workers are also often in close contact with power lines.However, the difference between electrical workers and other types of workers is that electrical utility workers are generally trained to identify the dangers of electrocution in their work, and avoid these dangers.Other types of workers may not have the benefit of such training.

Published on: October 30, 2011

OSHA to Fine Alpharetta, Georgia Contractor for Workplace Violations

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is likely to propose more than $55,000 in fines for an Alpharetta-based general contractor for a series of violations at a construction site in Tifton.Inspections conducted by the federal agency found that the contractor, GanawayContracting Co. Inc. of Alpharetta committed 14 safety violations. Companies with this many safety violations often face a high level of serious workers’ compensation claims.

The inspections were focused on identifying violations that increased the risk of workers suffering fall accidents in the construction industry.Overall, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited GanawayContracting Co. Inc. for repeat violations that included worker exposure to fall hazards. These type of construction accidents often result in the most significant workers’ compensation claims due to the severe personal injuries involved. Workers’ compensation attorneys have always advocated for toughpunishments of companies which repeatedly engage in unsafe practices.

Agency inspectors found that the company allowed workers to work from heights of above 15 feet without requiring any kind of fall protection, used ladders with missing or broken parts, and used ladders that did not sufficiently extend beyond the landing surface of the roof.The company also did not require workers to wear eye protection when they were performing critical tasks, like using pneumatic nail guns and electric drills.Repeat violations are issued when a company has earlier been cited for the same violations or similar violations.In this case, GanawayContracting Co. Inc. had been cited for similar violations in Alabama as well as in Oakwood, Georgia.

Published on: July 5, 2011

Atlanta Construction Worker Killed in Fall Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A construction worker was killed last week in a workplace accident at a high school site in Atlanta.The man had been working on an addition project at a school in south Atlanta, when he fell 20 feet from a hydraulic lift.

According to authorities, the entire accident was triggered when a piece of metal pipe fell from the ceiling of the addition, and crashed into the lift which was holding the worker.The impact caused the lift to jerk, and the worker fell about 20 feet below onto the pavement.He sustained serious injuries, and died.

According to news reports, the victim worked for a subcontractor on the project.The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has begun an investigation into the accident.In the meantime, the site has been temporarily shut down. See Worker Killed in Fall.

Published on: May 3, 2011

Possible Increase in Workers’ Compensation Claims Involving Older Georgia Workers

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Atlanta Workers’ Compensation lawyers are likely to see a spike in the number of claims being filed by older American workers.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning in a new study that the number of senior workers being injured in workplace accidents, has increased substantially. As the CDC noted, the increase in work accidents for seniors is likely due to the fact that we have more senior in the workplace than in the past due to the recession. Therefore, more and more seniors will have workers comp claims to assert. Unfortunately, some insurance companies are likely to take advantage of the fact these seniors have more limited life expectancies to reduce the level of their settlement offers in worker comp cases beyond what is reasonable for that issue.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of injured older workers in the workforce increased from 12 % in 2003 to 17% in the latest estimates.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that much of the reason for this increase has been the fact that there are more older workers in the workforce now than ever before.During these troubled economic times, many seniors who had been looking forward to retirement, have been forced to re-enter the workforce instead.In many cases, these older workers are entering a work environment that has simply not taken their specific safety issues into consideration.

For instance, older workers may be at a high risk of certain types of accidents, like slip and fall accidents.They may also be at a high risk of fall accidents from elevated surfaces, or from ladders and stairways.These falls can leave an older worker with serious injuries, like fractures, hip fractures, broken ribs and other injuries.A hip fracture, for instance, can mean the end of an older worker’s ability to earn a livelihood.In fact, studies show that older persons who suffer a hip fracture, have a much higher risk of dying within a year after suffering the injury, than those who have not suffered a hip injury.

Published on: April 9, 2011

Workers Compensation Claim arises out of Serious Burns in Hall County Electrical Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A worker at a wastewater treatment plant in Hall County has suffered serious burn injuries in an electrical accident this week.This type of accident generally results in a complex workers compensation claim. The workers compensation insurance company often launches an immediate investigation to determine if there is any basis to deny the claim. The insurance company will then work hard to direct the person’s care to limit their financial exposure in the matter. As Atlanta workers compensation attorneys are well aware, it is important for workers injured in severe accidents to obtain counsel as soon as reasonably possible.

Also, this type of accident often results in a personal injury claim against a third party. For instance, the injuries may have resulted from a defective product or the negligence of a third party who previously worked on the device. Accordingly, a worker should make certain that the incident is thoroughly investigated for any potential third party personal injury claim.

The man, an electrician, was apparently the employee of a subcontractor, and was working at the County- owned Spout Springs Water Reclamation Facility when the electrical panel he was working on, exploded.The man suffered serious burn injuries, and was rushed to the Grady Memorial Hospital, one of the premier burn treatment facilities in the country.

Published on: October 27, 2010

Georgia Worker Killed in Trench Collapse – Workers Compensation Claim Watch

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Trench collapses are some of the most preventable workplace accidents and result in numerous workers compensation claims. Most of these collapses can simply be prevented by shoring up the walls of the trench, and determining whether the trench is safe to be used before workers are allowed inside.Failure to take these basic steps can be lethal.Workers’ compensation insurance carriers would be wise to perform workplace inspections more frequently and more thoroughly to prevent these accidents.

A worker was killed earlier this week in a trench collapse in Augusta, Georgia.The 37 -year-old worker and another man were in the trench, working on pipes.The trench was about 6-feet deep.According to news reports, water began to seep into the trench, and one wall collapsed.The two men were quickly buried under the sand.Firefighters were able to pull one worker out of the sand, digging frantically with their shovels and hands.However, they could do nothing to reach Augusta-resident Jimmy Roubles, who likely asphyxiated just a few minutes after being buried by the sand.He was declared dead just after noon.The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been notified about his death.

Recovering Roubles’ body proved to be a challenge to the firefighters, with only one firefighter being allowed into the trench at a time to avoid another collapse.The body was recovered at about 3 PM.That delay in recovering the worker’s body should give Atlanta construction accident lawyers a sense of the instability of the trench.

Published on: October 14, 2009

Big Rig Crackdown in Chatham County Reveals Maintenance Issues

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Big Rig Crackdown in Chatham County, Georgia Reveals Maintenance Issues

A new task force in Garden City, Chatham County is cracking down on truckers to keep unsafe big rigs off the roads and prevent accidents. The first few days of the crackdown have already revealed severe maintenance issues that could place tractor trailer drivers at possible risk of an accident.

Members of the task force know that while a tractor trailer may look like it’s in perfect condition, there may be several maintenance issues that can place the vehicle at risk of an accident. The task force is already seeing some major maintenance problems on some of the trucks that have been pulled over. For instance, they have found trucks with a variety of maintenance issues, including malfunctioning lights, loose straps securing cargo, nearly bald tires with little tread and a host of other issues.

Published on: April 28, 2009

Albany Industrial Accident Leaves Employee with Burn Injuries

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A fire at the Equinox Chemical Plant in Albany has left one person severely burnt. The flash fire occurred on April 15^th. 37-year-old Jason Pate suffered second and third degree burn injuries over up to 70% of his body. He was taken to the Augusta Burn Center where his condition has been listed as critical.

According to preliminary investigations, Pate was operating chemical machinery when two gas kit seals suddenly ruptured, due to pressure. That caused the manifold system to blow off the Acetylene, igniting and sparking a fire. The company has shut down production, pending an investigation of the accident. Firefighters remained at the plant all night to ensure that all Acetylene tanks were empty, and there was no danger of fire.

Fire safety is imperative in a chemical plant where the risk of fire and explosions is always present. Burns that result from a chemical fire are severe, leaving long term scars. These burns are extremely painful, and cause significant tissue damage. In cases that are as severe as Pate’s case here, skin grafting may be necessary. All this means many days away from work while the body heals enough to allow for skin graft surgery, as well as a long healing period later.

Published on: February 23, 2009

Cartersville Construction Worker Killed in Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Construction sites are some of the most dangerous work places, with the industry occupying 3^rd place in the number of work-related fatalities every year. Most of these accidents are completely preventable, if only employers make provisions for proper training of workers and adequate safety measures. In one such preventable accident, a construction foreman in Cartersville, Georgia was killed earlier this month in a trench collapse accident.

James Hilbish was working in the trench as part of a sewer line installation on the 4^th of February when the cave in occurred.The trench was reportedly 30 feet in depth, and at least 25 to 30 feet in length His body was found more than 3 hours later. Hilbish worked for an Alabama company which had subcontracted the job from the Bartow County Water Department. No other injuries were reported in the accident.

A trench collapse is one of the most dangerous of all accidents on a construction site. The process of heaping mounds of soil on top of the trench walls can lead to the wall becoming weak and unstable.Besides, the soil that’s piled high on the walls can quickly shift under provocation, and began to pour into the trench within seconds. When this happens, any workers inside the trench are at risk for death by suffocation. In most cases, attempts to rescue workers can be extremely difficult because of the speed with which such collapses occur. Rescue attempts are also made more dangerous by the fact that disturbing the soil further can trigger off more cave-ins.That’s why these accidents so often result in fatalities.