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The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has begun a one-year national emphasis program on record keeping to assess the accuracy of injury and illness data recorded by employers. OSHA’s move comes after recent studies show that employers have been underreporting injuries relating to construction accidents, industrial accidents and other workplace incidents. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 mandates the U.S. Department of Labor to collect and compile numbers about the extent of workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths in the country. OSHA regulations also require employers to maintain accurate records with regard to such information.

This is an important step taken by OSHA because record keeping helps identify what factors cause these injuries and fatalities. This data and information helps address those issues and make sure that steps are taken to prevent such incidents. There were disturbing reports recently that employers intimidate, harass or retaliate against workers who reported injuries or illnesses or complained against safety hazards. This is unacceptable. If employers are not following safety standards, they should be reported. Cover-ups of any kind should not be tolerated. Workers who are injured should not quietly accept whatever settlement their employer gives them. If you were injured in a Washington construction accident or were injured on-the-job, please understand that you have rights.
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Two people in Yakima, Washington, were hospitalized with injuries after a DUI car accident in which officials say the suspect was also speeding.

According to a news report in the Yakima Herald-Republic, a 44-year-old man driving a Ford Aerostar was speeding south on Martin Luther King Boulevard when he tried to pass a Dodge Caravan. The Ford van then crashed head-on into a Ford Mustang driven by a 23-year-old woman. The woman was seriously injured and sustained multiple leg and ankle fractures. The suspect was also injured and was taken to a Seattle hospital, but was later arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. Officials are also considering vehicular assault charges.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious crime in Washington State. According to the Revised Code of Washington Section 46.61.502, driving under the influence is when “a person is guilty of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug if the person drives a vehicle within the state.” It is also illegal to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher.
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Whatcom County Sheriff’s officials are investigating the death of a worker at a local dairy farm north of Lynden, Washington, according to the Bellingham Herald. Officials say a large, overhead door fell on the 30-year-old worker and pinned him against an interior cattle gate. He died at the scene. Officials are looking into whether the door fell as a result of a mechanical failure. Authorities will report the findings of their investigation to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.

According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, there were a total of 47 fatalities in the dairy industry in 2007. Out of these fatalities, 13 deaths were a result of contact with objects and equipment. That category includes dairy workers who were killed as a result of falling objects. In this particular case, it is not clear what caused the door to fall on the worker. In cases where industrial accidents result in death, the worker’s family will be entitled to worker’s compensation benefits. However, if the fatal injury involved negligence on the part of someone else or a defective product, a third party claim can be brought against the negligent party or the manufacturer of the defective product.
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A Washington state construction worker was fatally injured by a large, heavy piece of concrete on a construction site recently. The worker was trying to remove a collapsed column with an excavator. Part of the column broke loose and crushed the cab of the excavator. That piece alone weighed about 18,000 pounds. Investigators from OSHA are trying to figure out how the piece of concrete broke loose and fell.

Construction site accidents, especially those that involve falling objects, can cause devastating injuries or deaths. Very often, workers get hit by falling objects at construction sites. Construction sites are inherently dangerous because of the presence of heavy columns, steel bars, scaffolds and trenches. There is danger lurking in each and every corner. That is why it is critical that builders and contractors follow safety standards mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The tragedies, which occur at Washington construction sites, can be prevented by following the safety standards spelled out by state and federal regulatory agencies.
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A 60-year-old man from Spokane was killed in a pedestrian accident after he was struck by a car while crossing a street. According to a KHQ news report, the man was walking across Division near the 9600 block in an unmarked crosswalk when he was struck by a southbound car. The injured pedestrian was transported to a Spokane hospital where he later died. The driver remained at the scene, but officials say he is likely to face charges.

Washington State law requires motorists to yield right-of-way to pedestrians walking in marked or unmarked crosswalks. According to the Revised Code of Washington Section 46.61.235 (1): “The operator of an approaching vehicle shall stop and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian or bicycle to cross the roadway within an unmarked or marked crosswalk when the pedestrian or bicycle is upon or within one lane of the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning. For purposes of this section “half of the roadway” means all traffic lanes carrying traffic in one direction of travel, and includes the entire width of a one-way roadway.”
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Caramia is issuing a product defect recall for about 1,000 “Diane” drop-side cribs. According to a news report in Consumeraffairs.com, the slats on these recalled cribs’ drop side can detach from the top and bottom rails posing fall and entrapment hazards to young children. So far, the company has received 18 reports of the slats detaching. No injuries or fatalities have been reported yet as a result of these product defects.

These cribs were manufactured in Slovenia from September 2002 and June 2004 and sold at Buy Buy Baby and other children’s products and mass merchandise stores nationwide. They were sold for between $240 and $370. If you have one of these cribs in your home, preschool or childcare facility, please stop using them and call the company to receive a free replacement drop side.
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A recent news article reports that a 53-year-old Washington construction worker was killed when he and another employee were installing an electrical line at a shopping center. The accident happened when their bucket truck failed. The worker was thrown from the bucket and struck the truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Washington State construction site accidents have the potential to result in debilitating injuries or even death. Where serious or catastrophic injuries are involved, construction workers and their families come under tremendous emotional and financial strain. In many cases, families lose their primary wage-earner or sole breadwinner, which puts them in quite a tough predicament. Still, the fact remains that a majority of Seattle construction site accidents, which lead to such tragedies, can be easily prevented and avoided by following safety standards. Sometimes, these tragedies are also caused by defective products and equipment malfunctions. Equipment failure can happen because of a manufacturing defect or because it was poorly maintained. If maintenance is the issue, the injured worker or his family could file a claim against the contractor or sub-contractor in charge of maintenance. If the malfunction was caused by a product defect, the worker or his family can file a third-party claim against the manufacturer of the defective product.
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A Washington couple was injured in an auto accident after their pickup truck and trailer rolled over on the Interstate 82 near Prosser, Washington. According to a news report in the Yakima Herald-Republic, a 64-year-old man was driving a 2002 Ford pickup towing a 37-foot trailer. He lost control of the vehicle rolling both the pickup and the trailer on the inside shoulder of the highway. The man and his wife both suffered injuries and were taken to the hospital, but it is not clear whether they sustained serious injuries. Both were wearing seatbelts. Washington State Patrol officials say the driver’s inattention may have caused or contributed to this accident as well.

In any rollover auto accident, it is also important to look into whether an auto product defect, design defect or mechanical malfunction may have caused or in any way contributed to the accident. The auto maker or the manufacturer of the defective product could be held liable for the injuries and damages, if so. If a vehicle defect is suspected in an auto accident, it is important to preserve the vehicle so it can be examined carefully for product defects, malfunctions or other evidence. Experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys will almost always suggest that, if possible, photos are taken of the accident in order to document the scene.
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A woman was injured in a Spokane car accident after her vehicles struck a deer on U.S. Highway 2 near Bear Lake, The Spokesman-Review reports. Washington State Patrol officials said the accident occurred at Westwood Avenue after the woman who was driving on the highway hit a deer. The extent of the woman’s injuries is not clear.

According to a recent news report, deer versus vehicle collisions in Washington State have increased by 15 percent just in the last five years. According to statistics released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), there are about 1.5 million deer versus vehicle collisions every year in the United States. These types of auto accidents cause more than 150 fatalities each year and typically occur in the months of October, November and December. In fact, the chance of a vehicle striking a deer is 1 in 516, according to deer claims data from 2007 and 2008 provided by State Farm Insurance.

Any Seattle personal injury lawyer will tell you that these accidents should not be taken lightly. Motorists – be it car drivers or motorcycle riders – should take every possible precaution to avoid deer collisions. Here are a few safety measures you can take to avoid colliding with deer. First, always be aware of deer crossing signs. These are usually placed in active deer areas. When you are traveling at night, be sure to use the high beam to light up the road ahead. Remember, deer are most active between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Also, deer tend to travel in groups or herds. So if you see one, stop, because there may be others following.
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American Chronicle recently published a new article by Kirk Bernard regarding 2009 dog bite statistics. This type of data helps spread awareness about the dangers of dog attacks, thus helping prevent such bites and injuries from taking place.

Recently, a Seattle Washington dog bite victims’ advocate group has released statistics about dog attacks for the year 2009. According to the report by Dogsbite.org, in 2009 there were 32 fatal dog attacks in the United States. Pit bulls apparently accounted for 44 percent of all the fatal attacks. And pit bulls make up only 5 percent of the U.S. dog population! In 2009 alone, pit bulls and rottweilers together accounted for 56 percent of all fatal dog attacks. During the five-year period from 2005 to 2009, the same breeds were responsible for 70 percent of all the recorded deaths.

To learn more about dog bite statistics for 2009 and how you can help prevent dog attacks from happening, please read the entire article here.

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