¡Cuidado!: Safety Supplanted By Silence In The Workplace

Nick Avgerinos — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:18:00 GMT

The National Safety Council declared June to be National Safety Month. What better way to address safety than to discuss workplace safety issues, as so many personal injuries take place in the course of an honest day’s work. Safety on the job is perhaps the biggest concern for those who can’t voice their reservations due to fear and oppression.

According to the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Hispanic workers are dying on the job at a significantly higher rate than others. According to this study, Hispanic workers died at a rate of 5 per 100,000 workers in 2006. Interestingly, the rate for foreign-born Hispanics, roughly 6 per 100,000, was far higher than the 3.5 per 100,000 for those born in the United States. Why? Companies are taking advantage of the limited alternatives offered to these individuals. In short, immigrant workers need jobs and companies want low-wage workers. Unfortunately, the laws of supply and demand favor big business here.

As I first mentioned in “Breaking Down Borders: Speaking Up For Those Without a Voice,” safety training for immigrant workers is grossly lacking. I have to echo attorney Will Parker’s post, asking, how much does it cost to print safety instructions in two languages? And, as Steve Lombardi pointed out, why are we making it hard for people to do the jobs that we don’t want? Given recent statistics of the CDC, it’s doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. We persist in making life as difficult as possible for a group of people who are working their behinds off to save ours.

Just last month, a pregnant teenager died from heat-related causes, laboring in the hot California sun. It is suspected that she collapsed due to a lack of proper access to shade and water. It’s not rocket science that people toiling for hours upon hours in the sweltering heat need periodic rest and hydration. So, why the lack of proper safety regulations? The bottom line: it hurts the bottom line.

But these are people! In a country that declares its dedication to diversity and democracy each and every day, it is startling how little companies seem care about the people doing work that we need survive and thrive. Out of sight, out of mind, perhaps? Arturo Rodriguez, president of the United Farm Workers, puts it well, explaining that these workers are not agricultural implements to be used and discarded. Rather, “They are important human beings. Important to their loved ones, important because of the work they perform in feeding all of us.”

The legal status of many immigrants in this country does pose a problem for regulation. But maybe, just maybe, we will begin to see that this is an issue with as much human as legal resonance. And by helping to give a voice to those who cannot use their own, we can help to truly make this the land of the free and casa of the brave.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Nick Avgerinos

Freaky Friday: A Good Reason to Skip Wednesdays at Work

Nick Avgerinos — Fri, 30 May 2008 11:05:00 GMT

We’re always trying to beat the system. It might be $1 burgers on Tuesdays, free subway rides on New Year’s Eve, or the countless Memorial Day sales this past weekend. Everybody likes a good deal. Somehow that burger tastes better knowing you saved a couple bucks. That innocent thrill takes on a more serious tone when you’re stacking the odds in your favor regarding safety. The goal here is to prevent the injury before it occurs and litigation ensues.

By now, we all know the basics: stop, drop, and roll; click it or ticket; only you can prevent wildfires. The Lombardi law firm, based in Des Moines, has provided some more particular safety tips on recent blawgs regarding the advantages of wearing a motorcycle helmet and the proper use of a nail gun. The National News Desk recognized a few years back that the summer months are the most dangerous for kids, and the National Safe Kids Campaign is working to reduce the inherent risks of summer fun. All very important.

But what about the adults? As a nation of parents taking our kids to places like Disney World and then not getting on the ride if little Tommy isn’t tall enough, we often neglect to consider our own interests. And, unfortunately, that includes our safety. Think: Tommy slathered in SPF 70 while you return a nice shade of lobster red from a day at the park. Although buckling up in the family minivan or grabbing your helmet before you hop on your Harley is a good start, workplace safety is important, too.

After all, Americans spend most of their waking lives at work. (I know, a lovely thought.) That’s why a recent editorial from the Times-Herald piqued my interest: “Friday may be safest workday.” According to the Georgia Department of Administrative Services, the least number of injuries take place on Fridays. Second least? Mondays. That means it’s the middle of the week drone that proves dangerous for most workers.

In fact, 30% fewer accidents are being reported on Fridays than on Wednesdays in Georgia. And while officials’ best guess is that it is due to some regular four-day work weeks, leaving fewer workers toiling on Fridays, the cause is unknown. In any case, the latest data gives you a good reason to make Wednesdays your personal day of choice. Better safe than sorry, right?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Nick Avgerinos

Chicago-Land Personal Injury Lawyer - workplace safety

¡Cuidado!: Safety Supplanted By Silence In The Workplace

Freaky Friday: A Good Reason to Skip Wednesdays at Work