Articles Tagged with Best Georgia Workers Compensation Attorney

(KTVN News 2)

(KTVN News 2)

Data presented by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) suggests that late-night retail establishments, such as convenience stores, gas stations, and liquor stores, are subject to high homicide and assault rates. OSHA aims to reduce these statistics through violence prevention programs, management and employee involvement, hazard prevention and control, and safety training.

OSHA’s findings and prevention strategies, highlighted below, will help to protect both employees and patrons and deter crime in late-night retail environments:

Risk Factors

A number of factors put late-night retail workers at risk. These include:

  • The exchange of money (making them targets for robbery);
  • Solo work and isolated work sites;
  • The sale of alcohol;
  • Poorly lit stores and parking areas; and
  • Lack of staff training in recognizing and managing escalating hostile and aggressive behavior.

Violence Prevention Programs

Violence prevention programs should set clear goals and objectives to prevent workplace violence. The goals and objectives must be suitable for the size and complexity of workplace operations. In addition, the program should be adaptable to different situations at the worksite. Whatever format the program takes, it is critical that employers clearly explain the prevention program to all workers.

At a minimum, workplace violence prevention programs should:

  • Establish a clear policy for workplace violence, verbal and nonverbal threats and related actions. All personnel employed in the retail establishment should know the policy.
  • Ensure that no worker who reports or experiences workplace violence faces reprisals.5
  • Encourage workers to promptly report incidents and suggest ways to reduce or eliminate risks. Require records of incidents to assess risk and measure progress.
  • Outline a comprehensive plan for maintaining security in the workplace. The plan should include establishing a liaison with law enforcement representatives and others who can help identify ways to prevent and mitigate workplace violence.
  • Assign responsibility and authority for the pro- gram to individuals or teams with appropriate training and skills. Ensure that adequate resources are available and that those responsible for the program develop expertise on work- place violence prevention in late-night retail settings.
  • Affirm management commitment to an environment that places as much importance on worker safety and health as on serving store patrons.

Hazard Prevention and Control

By effectively preventing and controlling workplace violence hazards, employers are better able to protect workers and avoid workplace incidents. After hazards are identified through the systematic worksite analysis, employers will need to take steps to prevent or control those hazards….

Engineering controls remove the hazard from the workplace or create a barrier between the worker and the hazard….For example, employers should:

  • Integrate violence prevention activities into daily procedures, such as checking lighting, locks, and security cameras to help maintain a secure worksite.
  • Require workers to use the drop safes and keep a minimal amount of cash in each register.
  • Develop and implement procedures for the cor- rect use of physical barriers, such as enclosures and pass-through windows.
  • Establish a policy of when doors should be locked. Require workers to keep doors locked before and after official business hours. Require workers to lock doors used for deliveries and garbage removal when not in use. In addition, require that deliveries be made during normal daytime operations.
  • Develop and implement emergency procedures for workers to use in case of a robbery or security breach – such as calling the police or triggering an alarm.

Administrative and work practice controls, independent of engineering controls include:

  • Prohibit transactions with large bills (over $20). If this is not practical because of frequent trans- actions over $20, cash levels should be kept as low as practical. Workers should not carry business receipts on their persons unless it is absolutely necessary.
  • When possible, increase staffing levels at stores with a history of robbery or assaults, or located in high crime areas. Use the “buddy system,” especially when personal safety may be threatened.
  • Establish rules and practices to ensure that workers can walk to garbage areas and outdoor storage areas without increasing their risk of assault.
  • Establish liaison with local police and state prosecutors. Report all incidents of violence. Give police physical layouts of facilities to expedite investigations.
  • Require workers to report all assaults or threats to a supervisor or manager (for example, through a confidential interview). Keep log books and reports of such incidents to help determine any necessary actions to prevent recurrences.
  • Advise workers of company procedures for requesting police assistance or filing charges when assaulted if necessary.
  • Provide management support during emergen- cies. Respond promptly to all complaints.
  • Set up a trained response team to respond to emergencies.
  • Use properly trained security officers to deal with aggressive behavior. Follow written security procedures.
  • Discourage workers from wearing necklaces or chains to help prevent possible strangulation in confrontational situations.
  • Provide staff members with security escorts to parking areas in evening or late hours. Ensure that parking areas are highly visible, well lit and safely accessible to the building.

Click here to view the full OSHA report.

We Fight for Victims of Workplace Violence and Retail Security Negligence in Georgia…Contact us Now for a Free Consultation.

The Murray Law Firm has recovered millions of dollars for victims of workplace violence and retail security negligence in Georgia, and we offer our legal assistance if desired.  We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover. Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or by telephone at 888.842.1616. Consultations are free and confidential.

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Choosing the Right Attorney

Selecting the right attorney for you or your family is highly important. You must feel confident that the attorney you hire has a complete understanding of the law applicable to your particular case, and has successful experience in handling such cases.

Important: Do not hire a lawyer who has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct!!!

You should not hire an attorney who calls you or visits you unsolicited, or anyone that contacts you directly to offer legal services. This activity is strictly prohibited by Rule 7.3 of the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which states as follows:

ABA Center for Professional ResponsibilityA LAWYER “SHALL NOT” CONTACT A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT THROUGH A “LIVE TELEPHONE” OR AN “IN-PERSON” VISIT.

– RULE 7.3, ABA MODEL RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.

If an attorney, or someone acting on behalf of an attorney, contacts you in this manner, that attorney is in violation of this Rule. This unethical and unprofessional activity on the part of the lawyer is good sign that you should stay away. It is imperative that you are represented by an attorney who is capable of advocating for you within the confines of the law, and an attorney who fails to abide by the Rules of Professional Conduct is probably not the best fit. In fact, any such attorney should be immediately reported to the local State Bar Association. If you have been contacted in such an unsolicited manner, contact us and we’ll assist you in filing a report.
SAC EM Update

Contingency Fees Disclaimer: “Contingent attorneys’ fees refers only to those fees charged by attorneys for their legal services. Such fees are not permitted in all types of cases. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client.

(U.S. Department of Labor)

(U.S. Department of Labor)

Workplace Lung Health Risks and Awareness

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and an opportunity to remind employers that lung health is a critical workplace issue, reaching and devastating the lives of many employees and their families every year.

Department of Labor Secretary Tom Perez warns, “Workers should never have to worry that the air they breathe on the job will slowly destroy their lungs. Yet in too many cases, that risk is still all too real at U.S. workplaces.

Occupational lung disease is slow, debilitating and lethal. A construction worker, stone cutter, foundry worker or coal miner inhales tiny bits of dust that penetrate the lungs and slowly causes them to scar over. It may be decades before health problems develop, from shortness of breath to dependency on oxygen tanks. After a lifetime of hard work, instead of a comfortable retirement, so many workers confront a grim reality: although occupational lung diseases are preventable, they are often incurable.”

Preventing Employee Lung Cancer and Lung Ailments

Occupational lung diseases are preventable and there are many tools and procedures employers can implement to reduce employee risk of lung cancer and respiratory illnesses. Additionally, OSHA and the Department of Labor are working to implement new rules, which would help to protect workers’ lungs:

  • Reduce the amount of dust in air by wetting it down or vacuuming it up.
  • Proper use of respirators can prevent workers from inhaling whatever dust is left in the air.
  • OSHA’s silica proposal
  • OSHA’s beryllium proposal

Employee Rights

You have the right to:

  • Work in a safe place.
  • Receive safety and health training in any language that you understand.
  • Ask questions if you don’t understand instructions or if something seems unsafe.
  • Use and be trained on required safety gear, such as hard hats, goggles and ear plugs.
  • Exercise your workplace safety rights without retaliation or discrimination.
  • File a confidential complaint with OSHA if you believe there is a serious hazard or that your employer is not following OSHA standards.

We Fight for Victims of Workplace Injuries in Georgia …Contact us Now for a Free Consultation.

Headline Frame 11Alive DeskThe Murray Law Firm has recovered millions of dollars for victims of unsafe workplaces in Georgia, and recently obtained a $29.25 million dollar verdict for one of our Clients in Fulton County State Court.

We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover. Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or by telephone at 888.842.1616. Consultations are free and confidential.

728x90 Justice


Choosing the Right Attorney

Selecting the right attorney for you or your family is highly important. You must feel confident that the attorney you hire has a complete understanding of the law applicable to your particular case, and has successful experience in handling such cases.

Important: Do not hire a lawyer who has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct!!!

You should not hire an attorney who calls you or visits you unsolicited, or anyone that contacts you directly to offer legal services. This activity is strictly prohibited by Rule 7.3 of the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which states as follows:

ABA Center for Professional ResponsibilityA LAWYER “SHALL NOT” CONTACT A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT THROUGH A “LIVE TELEPHONE” OR AN “IN-PERSON” VISIT.

– RULE 7.3, ABA MODEL RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.

If an attorney, or someone acting on behalf of an attorney, contacts you in this manner, that attorney is in violation of this Rule. This unethical and unprofessional activity on the part of the lawyer is good sign that you should stay away. It is imperative that you are represented by an attorney who is capable of advocating for you within the confines of the law, and an attorney who fails to abide by the Rules of Professional Conduct is probably not the best fit. In fact, any such attorney should be immediately reported to the local State Bar Association. If you have been contacted in such an unsolicited manner, contact us and we’ll assist you in filing a report.
SAC EM Update

Contingency Fees Disclaimer: “Contingent attorneys’ fees refers only to those fees charged by attorneys for their legal services. Such fees are not permitted in all types of cases. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client.

(OSHA)

(OSHA)

Grain handling plants receive, manage, store, process, and ship a variety of raw agricultural goods, such as, corn, wheat, oats, barley, sunflower seeds, and soybeans.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) considers the grain handling industry a “high hazard industry where workers can be exposed to numerous serious and life threatening hazards.”

Grain Handling Hazards

  • Fires and explosions from grain dust accumulation
  • Suffocation from engulfment and entrapment in grain bins
  • Falls from heights
  • Crushing injuries and amputations from grain handling equipment
  • Unhealthy levels of airborne contaminants, including molds, toxic chemicals, and gases

Real Stories

OSHA warns, “Suffocation is the leading cause of death in grain storage bins. In 2010, 51 workers were engulfed by grain stored in bins, and 26 died – the highest number on record.”

OSHA highlights one such tragedy: Two young workers (ages 14 and 19) were killed at a grain storage facility in the Midwest when they were sent into a grain bin to “walk down the corn.” The grain bin was being emptied, and the workers’ task was to break up clumps by walking on them to make the corn flow out of the bin. The workers were not provided safety harnesses, and the machinery used for evacuating the grain was running. The suction created by the flowing grain pulled them in like quicksand and suffocated them. Workers should never be inside a grain bin when it is being emptied out, because a sinkhole can form and pull down the worker in a matter of seconds. OSHA standards prohibit this dangerous practice. This company ignored that rule as well as other protective safety requirements. In addition, child labor laws made it illegal for this company to employ a 14-year-old to work in a grain silo.

Employer Responsibility

Employers must provide a healthy and safe workplace for their employees. OSHA encourages employers to implement and enforce safety guidelines to address the numerous potential hazards of grain handling and to reduce employee injury.

To prevent another suffocation tragedy, like the one above, employers must:

  • Turn off, disconnect and lock out all powered equipment associated with the bin that poses a danger to employees inside the grain structure, including augers used to help move the grain, so that the grain is not being emptied or moving out or into the bin [1910.272(g)(1)(ii)]. Standing on moving grain is deadly; the grain can act like quicksand and bury a worker very quickly. Moving grain out of a bin creates a suction that can swiftly pull and bury any workers who are in the bin.
  • Prohibit walking down grain and similar practices where an employee walks on grain to make it flow [1910.272(g)(1)(iv)].
  • Provide each worker entering a bin from a level at or above stored grain, or when a worker will walk or stand on stored grain, with a body harness. The body harness should have a lifeline that is positioned and is of sufficient length to prevent a worker from sinking further than waist-deep in grain [1910.272(g)(2)].
  • Provide an observer stationed outside the bin or silo being entered by an employee and maintain communication between the observer and the employee who enters. Ensure the observer is equipped to provide assistance [1910.272(g)(3)].
  • Prohibit workers from entry into bins or silos underneath a bridging condition, or where a build-up of grain products on the sides could fall and bury them [1910.272(g)(6)].
  • Provide training about engulfment and mechanical hazards to employees assigned special tasks such as bin entry [1910.272(e)(2)].
  • Test the air within a bin or silo prior to entry for the presence of combustible and toxic gases, and to determine if there is sufficient oxygen [1910.272(g)(1)(iii)].
  • Provide and continue ventilation until any unsafe atmospheric conditions are eliminated. If toxicity or oxygen deficiency cannot be eliminated, workers must wear appropriate respirators [1910.272(g)(1)(iii) A and B].
  • Ensure a permit is issued for each instance a worker enters a bin or silo, certifying that the precautions listed above have been implemented [1910.272(g)(1)(i)].

Employee Rights

OSHA reminds workers, they have the right to:

  • Working conditions that do not pose a risk of serious harm.
  • Receive information and training (in a language and vocabulary they understand) about workplace hazards, methods to prevent them, and the OSHA standards that apply to their workplace.
  • Review records of work-related injuries and illnesses.
  • Get copies of test results that find measure hazards.
  • File a confidential complaint asking OSHA to inspect their workplace if they believe there is a serious hazard or that their employer is not following OSHA’s rules.
  • Exercise their rights under the law without retaliation or discrimination.

We Fight for Victims of Workplace Accidents in Georgia …Contact us Now for a Free Consultation.

Headline Frame Fox News DeskThe Murray Law Firm has recovered millions of dollars for victims of unsafe workplaces in Georgia, and recently obtained a $29.25 million dollar verdict for one of our Clients in Fulton County State Court.

We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover. Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or by telephone at 888.842.1616. Consultations are free and confidential.

728x90 Justice


Choosing the Right Attorney

Selecting the right attorney for you or your family is highly important. You must feel confident that the attorney you hire has a complete understanding of the law applicable to your particular case, and has successful experience in handling such cases.

Important: Do not hire a lawyer who has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct!!!

You should not hire an attorney who calls you or visits you unsolicited, or anyone that contacts you directly to offer legal services. This activity is strictly prohibited by Rule 7.3 of the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which states as follows:

ABA Center for Professional ResponsibilityA LAWYER “SHALL NOT” CONTACT A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT THROUGH A “LIVE TELEPHONE” OR AN “IN-PERSON” VISIT.

– RULE 7.3, ABA MODEL RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.

If an attorney, or someone acting on behalf of an attorney, contacts you in this manner, that attorney is in violation of this Rule. This unethical and unprofessional activity on the part of the lawyer is good sign that you should stay away. It is imperative that you are represented by an attorney who is capable of advocating for you within the confines of the law, and an attorney who fails to abide by the Rules of Professional Conduct is probably not the best fit. In fact, any such attorney should be immediately reported to the local State Bar Association. If you have been contacted in such an unsolicited manner, contact us and we’ll assist you in filing a report.

SAC EM Update

Contingency Fees Disclaimer: “Contingent attorneys’ fees refers only to those fees charged by attorneys for their legal services. Such fees are not permitted in all types of cases. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client.