Family of man who died after falling through Pittsburgh skylight files lawsuit
The wife of a bricklayer who died after falling through a roof skylight as he did restoration work at a South Park, Pennsylvania building last year has filed a lawsuit against the county and contractor. The skylight wasn’t readily visible, according to the lawsuit, and when the employee struck it, it gave way and he fell through it to the concrete floor 21 feet below. The lawsuit also alleges there was no fall protection on the roof or covers on the skylights. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review/TribLive
Study finds musculoskeletal pain prevalent among US workforce
A new study using Centers for Disease Control and National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data, representing over 252 million American adults, indicates half of all Americans experience back, neck, shoulder, or other musculoskeletal pain in any given year, and that the economic cost of related medical claims has doubled in the U.S. over the last decade, despite the population with musculoskeletal conditions remaining relatively constant. People with pain musculoskeletal missed 8.2 days of work, more than double the average employee’s sick days. MH&L
As temperatures ramp up, tips for preventing heat illness
From 2011-2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 344 employment-related deaths in U.S. were due to environmental heat exposure. Workplace safety experts believe the actual number of heat-related fatalities may be underreported or misreported as another cause, such as heart attacks. Fed-OSHA has a simple message for employers and employees to combat the dangers of heat exposure. CleanLink
Road construction: How to ensure safety when installing manholes & underground fixtures
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 34.9% of new, untrained workers in the construction industry are injured during their first year on the job. While road construction workers may be more aware of visible safety protocols like reflective clothing and traffic routing or safety practices for operating equipment, the little things often cause accidents, adding up to injuries, lost time, and higher insurance premiums for construction companies. Many dangers are entirely avoidable, particularly when proper guidelines and systems are in place to prevent them. For Construction Pros