Last month, the University of Chicago published the results of a study entitled “Public Attitudes Towards and Experiences with Workplace Safety”. The study looked at multiple surveys and polls and found that the most important labor issue for workers is workplace safety. Workplace safety even ranked higher than things like family and maternity leave...
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Fairfax Teenager Killed in Electrical Accident while Trimming Trees
Unfortunately, accidents stemming from tree trimming remain all too common. A Washington man died last month when a falling tree part struck him on the head. A Richmond, Virginia worker died earlier in the year after a branch he was cutting fell onto a power line and electrocuted him. If negligence or poor safety...
Read MoreElectrical Fire at Hotels Near The White House Prompts Evacuation
The US Fire Administration ranks Washington, D.C. as the deadliest location in the United States regarding fires. For the most recent statistics available, the national average for deaths per million people is 13.2. Washington, D.C. led the nation at 39.2, substantially outdistancing the state in second, Mississippi with 28.4. If a fire has...
Read MoreMaryland Jury Awards Woman $2.35 Million for Doctors’ Misdiagnosis
A few weeks ago, a Maryland jury awarded a mother of three $2.35 million in damages, finding that doctors had negligently treated her. Initially diagnosing her condition as kidney stones, doctors gave the woman pain medication and sent her home. Doctors later discovered that she in fact had a kidney blockage, which had led...
Read MoreMultiple DUI Offender Kills Virginia Nun in Head-on Crash
At its peak in the early 1980s, drunk driving in Virginia killed around 600 people a year, accounting for half of all traffic deaths. Â Thanks to harsher fines, state-sponsored traffic and driving schools, and alcohol awareness programs, Northern Virginia has seen a decrease in drunk driving deaths since the 80s, but they continue...
Read MoreWashington DC Construction Worker Falls from Bucket Lift
Falls are the leading cause of fatalities for construction workers, with 400 to 500 deaths resulting from falls each year in the United States. They account for nearly one-third of all deaths in the construction industry. Some of the most common falls are those that occur from roofs, which can result from unprotected...
Read MoreMaryland Construction Worker Dies after Excavator Strikes Him in the Head
A 34-year-old Maryland construction worker died in a construction accident a few weeks ago. An employee of W.F. Wilson & Sons Inc., the man was working at a residential construction site when an excavator hit him in the head. These large machines range in size from several tons to several hundred tons of...
Read MoreWashington DC Pedestrian or Cyclist Accidents Occur 8-10 Times a Day, Several Websites Report
Several websites and blogs have been reporting on the frequency of pedestrian or cyclist accidents in the DC metro area. Some sites have created interactive maps that show the locations of the accidents. Washington, D.C. Fire and EMS maintain a Twitter site where they recently reported that there are 8-10 pedestrian accidents...
Read MoreArlington Construction Worker Dies after Falling 7 Stories While Installing Balcony Railing
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that falls from heights are responsible for one-third of construction fatalities. Employers could have prevented many of these. Safety precautions that save lives are no mystery. Such things as personal fall arrest systems, guardrails, harnesses, and safety nets make construction work safer. Too often, however, workers...
Read MoreFederal Safety Board Blasts DC Metro for Negligent Safety Attitude and Defective Machinery
The National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) recently completed its investigation of the DC Metro accident that killed nine people in June of 2009. The accident occurred just after 5 p.m. during the busy rush hour commute home. A red line Metro train slammed into the back of another one outside of Fort...
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