Blog

Amputation leads to fines at chicken processing plant

Sep 16, 2016

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) isn't playing chicken with fines for willful safety violations on the job. When a worker at Birdsboro Kosher Farms Corp. in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, lost a thumb while operating a mixer, OSHA decided to investigate. After making two citations for willful safety violations related to unexpected machinery start-up and eight citations for serious health and safety violations, OSHA fined the bird processing plant $314,477. Birdsboro Kosher Farms had also...

Skull surgery can save lives, but at what cost?

Sep 11, 2016

After a traumatic brain injury, the brain often swells within the skull, which can cause further damage if the swelling is not reduced. There are two ways that physicians can reduce the swelling in such a patient: with drugs, or with surgery. A Cambridge University study now shows that the surgery could prevent half of deaths following a traumatic brain injury. However, survival after the surgery could come at the cost of a reduced quality...

Trucks may be required to slow down in the name of safety

Sep 9, 2016

The U.S. Department of Transportation has proposed that trucks weighing more than 26,000 pounds be limited to a certain speed on the highway– likely somewhere between 60 and 68 miles per hour. The proposal is intended to save lives and cut down on fuel costs by more than $1 billion each year. The proposal so far would pertain to new trucks; it is still unclear if it would eventually also apply to older trucks. Commercial...

Can wearable technology increase worker safety?

Aug 31, 2016

You may already use wearable technology to keep track of your daily health and fitness goals. But now employers may be eyeing the technology to help monitor their workers to prevent injuries, and therefore avoid potential workers' compensation claims. The put out a report that detailed the ways in which wearable technology may be of use for employers looking to preserve worker health and reduce workers' compensation costs. According to a study by the Risk...

Dallas Hartman provides funds to create Lawrence County Mentoring Program

Aug 23, 2016

In January of 2016, Attorney Dallas W. Hartman approached Westminster College with a large donation and the idea of starting a mentoring program to support New Castle High School Students. Last evening, a dinner was held at Westminster College to kick off the program with the New Castle students and their parents. The following plan was developed in consultation with Dallas Hartman, Westminster College and Dr. John Sarandrea, superintendent of New Castle School District. During...

Enjoying a late summer drive? Get your feet off the dashboard.

Aug 22, 2016

The last days of summer are a golden time. Going for a drive to the beach or down a long country road can inspire a certain looseness and relaxation. Passengers may be tempted to rest their feet on the dashboard, or even open a window and prop their feet out in the open air. While this posture would seem to be the picture of summer nonchalance, in fact, it’s a highly dangerous posture that could...

Can you file a workers’ comp claim for a food allergy?

Aug 13, 2016

Workers injured on the job can file claims after being injured in various ways: falls, explosions, amputations and caught-in-between accidents being some of the more common, at least on construction sites. But what if you work in an office where the dangers are not so readily apparent, but you’re allergic to peanuts, or dairy? But can you file a claim after suffering from an allergic reaction to food? A minor allergic reaction might not be...

Insurers look to exclude sports-related concussions

Aug 11, 2016

Athletes considering suing over a brain injury sustained in a contact sport may want to do so sooner rather than later. That’s because insurers, spooked by the increase in litigation over sports-related head injuries, may be moving to make exclusions for professional athletes who sustain head injuries during play. The insurance company AIG, for example, has already excluded head injuries from its policies covering NFL players, and has entirely stopped insuring Pop Warner, a youth...

Are you a road rager?

Aug 5, 2016

If so, you're not alone. According to a recent report on aggressive driving put out by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, taken from a survey of 2,705 licensed drivers in 2014, 78% of drivers had engaged in some sort of aggressive driving behavior in the previous year. Not sure if you're an aggressive driver? You can take this test online. According to the report, the most common aggressive driving behaviors included: Tailgating Yelling Honking...

Tired truckers find relief in parking app

Jul 30, 2016

Willie Nelson couldn't wait to get back on the road again. But for truckers who just logged a long day behind the wheel, sometimes all they want is a parking spot. Increasingly a good parking spot is hard to find for truckers. When they can find one, they must either continue to drive while fatigued until they find one, or else park on an off ramp, along the side of a highway or even in...