The workplace accident rate in Louisiana dropped to its lowest rate in fourteen years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Only the District of Columbia had a lower workplace accident rate than Louisiana’s 1.9 per 100 full-time workers. That figure is almost half the national average, and Louisiana has been below the national average since recordkeeping began. Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Executive Director Ava Dejoie remarked that the encouraging numbers are but another step in the ongoing effort “to continually improve safety until we reach zero incidents.” In terms of specific sectors, workplace accidents declined almost all across the board, including real estate (0.9 decrease), retail trade (0.6), professional services (0.5), and management (0.4). [Read more…] about The Bayou State: A Great Place To Work
Injured Worker
Preventing a Workplace Injury for Communication Tower Workers
As cell phone technology improved, and the demand for them increased, so did the need for communication towers to expand and maintain the continuity of service around the country and here in Louisiana. This formerly specialized industry has grown exponentially in the last 30 years. Along with that growth, the possibility for a workplace injury has also dramatically increased.
Communication towers can reach heights of more than 1,000 to 2,000 feet. This means that the workers who erect and maintain them are often working at heights of 100 feet or more. This puts the risk of falling from those heights at the front of the line for the cause of injuries. However, other hazards exist as well.
These employees are required to work in inclement weather, which has its own hazards and also makes a tower’s surface even more treacherous to climb. Electrical hazards, equipment failure and the possibility of the tower collapsing also put workers at risk. It is also necessary to hoist equipment and parts up the tower, and if they are not properly secured, those objects could fall and cause injury to unsuspecting workers below.
If you work in this industry and suffer a workplace injury, or you lost a family member in an on-the-job accident, your financial situation could be adversely affected. The Louisiana workers’ compensation system provides benefits to injured workers for medical treatment and other expenses related to your recovery. Different benefits are available, depending on the severity of your injury. If you are a surviving family member of a worker who died, benefits may be available to you as well. An attorney can review your situation and help you pursue all of the benefits to which you may be entitled.
Road Construction Crews at Risk of Suffering a Workplace Injury
All Louisiana construction workers face dangers at work every day. However, road construction crews have the added hazard of speeding vehicles that pass close to them continuously. This puts each of them at the risk of suffering a workplace injury caused by a third party who failed to slow down and pay attention in the construction zone.
Many road construction projects are done after dark in order to take advantage of lesser traffic. The dangers are evident enough during the daylight hours, but when crews work at night, the risk of injury increases exponentially. Even with the use of lights, reflective vests and other safety measures, it can be difficult to see workers — especially at a high rate of speed.
Two recent accidents on Louisiana 30 prompted the Louisiana State Police to remind drivers that reduced speeds in construction zones are not there to inconvenience them, but instead, they are necessary in order to help protect the people who work in the area. In one accident, a hit-and-run driver seriously injured a man. Authorities were still searching for the vehicle and its driver at last report. The second accident involved a head-on collision that killed a worker.
The injured worker and the family of a deceased worker may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits as a result of a workplace injury. However, it may also be possible to file third-party claims against the drivers responsible for the accidents in which these men were involved. Successfully litigated claims could result in an award of damages if the negligence of the party or parties deemed responsible is established to the satisfaction of the court.
2 Men Suffer a Fatal Workplace Injury in Louisiana
Workers out in the field in the oil and gas industry understand the potential dangers of their jobs. The volatile liquids and gases they work with could ignite at any time. Two men recently suffered a fatal workplace injury at a gas well in Louisiana.
The two men were focused on a pressure test of the well. For some reason, the high pressure involved in the test caused a component of the well to break free. The two workers suffered fatal injuries to which they succumbed at the job site. A third person suffered injuries for which he was treated at a local hospital. The hospital released him the same day.
No further details concerning the cause of the accident were reported. An investigation is underway by investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, along with state and local officials. The victims were both from Texas, but the gas well they were working on is located in Lincoln Parish.
Apparently, Wildhorse Operations has no known history with OSHA in Louisiana. Of the nearly 50 wells that Wildhorse has received permission to drill, about half are near the production stage. It could be some time before any information is available regarding the details of the accident.
When a workplace injury occurs, determining its cause may prevent similar incidents in the future. In the meantime, the families of the two deceased men may be able to receive workers’ compensation benefits to cover the expense of burying their loved ones. It may also be possible for covered dependents to receive a compensation package for the loss of income. Moreover, the injured worker may also be entitled to benefits — at least to cover any medical attention necessary and time off from work as he struggles to recover.
Louisiana Workers' Compensation: Man Falls From Tree to his Death
Many professions come with inherent dangers that even with the best preparations can still result in serious injury or death. It is for this reason that every Louisiana employer is required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. However, in some cases, injured workers and their families may also be able to seek additional monetary compensation when an employer is grossly negligent in safeguarding its workers.
It could be some time before it is known whether this was the case in the death of a tree trimmer on Oct. 25. He was at least 50 feet above ground working to trim an oak tree that is partially dead. One of the limbs on the large tree broke and the man ended up tangled in the ropes of his safety harness system when he slipped.
According to the Benton police chief, the man was most likely dead as soon as he struck the ground and nothing anyone could have done would have saved his life. The company the man worked for had contracts with utility companies and government entities to clear tree limbs from power lines to reduce the risk of outages in inclement weather. The work is not unusual at this time of year.
An investigation will be conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to determine whether there were any breakdowns in safety procedures. In the meantime, the man’s family will have to deal with the emotional and financial impact of his death. Under Louisiana law, they may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits to cover certain expenses such as funeral and burial costs. It may be advantageous for this man’s family to seek advice and assistance in this process to ensure they receive all of the benefits to which they are entitled.