In our last post we discussed product recalls linked to salmonella and listeria contamination. Although these are the most common types of food recall causes, other forms of bacteria can also result in tainted consumer products and product liability litigation. One company is recalling salted fish which was found to be uneviscerated. In the U.S.,>> Read More

Unsafe working conditions at Beardstown pork processing facility have led to $114,000 in proposed fines against Cargill Meat Solutions. OSHA inspectors launched an investigation of the facility after receiving a complaint regarding workplace safety violations. OSHA officials say that lockout and tagout procedures were improperly documented before workers began to perform maintenance and servicing on>> Read More

In our last post we discussed serious medical malpractice incidents called “never events.” A Never Event is a medical mistake so negligent or reckless that it should never occur. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the term “never event” was first used in 2001 by Ken Kizer, MD. At the time,>> Read More

June is Fireworks Safety Month. Fireworks can be a fun way to enhance a celebration, particularly during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, but fireworks can cause severe burns and fatal injuries if not used correctly or safely. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is one of the organizations that wants people to be safe during>> Read More

A Chicago manufacturer was recently cited by OSHA officials for several serious workplace safety violations. Federal authorities say that Phoenix Electrical Manufacturing Co. was given $51,590 in proposed fines for exposing its workers to amputation injuries at a Chicago manufacturing facility. “Phoenix Electrical Manufacturing has a responsibility to provide proper machine guarding to prevent workers>> Read More

A man died early Friday morning in a single car accident on Identa Road near Yorkville. CBS Chicago reports that this is the fourth recent fatal car accident in Kendall County on Route 126. The 24-year-old Oswego man who died in Friday failed to negotiate a curve, overcorrected his vehicle, and then drove off of>> Read More

Workers’ compensation hearings are supposed to be held in public and before impartial arbitrators. One former Illinois workers’ comp arbitrator recently had her law license suspended for a variety of alleged misbehaviors including inappropriate communication regarding workers’ comp lawyers who appeared before her and rescheduling a controversial workers’ compensation case to keep reporters from attending.>> Read More

For many teens, a first job means independence and a significant step towards adulthood. Few ever consider the possibility that they might be injured on the job or even lose their lives because their workplace is unsafe. Still, studies show that teens are injured at a higher rate than older workers. According to the National>> Read More

An $8,800,000.00 settlement was reached in a traumatic brain injury case that occurred on april 21, 2009. The lawyers representing the injured party, Leonardo Elias, are Lawrence Ruder and Louis Cairo of Chicago’s largest injury law firm, GWC. The defendant was represented by Kathleen McDonough, managing partner at Degal, McCambridge’s office and attorney Brian Eldridge.>> Read More

A trade show contractor faces $91,000 in OSHA fines after a forklift accident at the McCormick Place Convention Center last fall. Federal officials say that one of the convention center’s employees was severely injured when an employee of Global Experience Specialists drove over his foot with a forklift. The company allegedly failed to train or>> Read More

OSHA officials are recommending $196,000 in fines against a Chicago-based masonry company that allowed its workers to be exposed to excessive amounts of lead during sandblasting operations. The fines follow an inspection of American Masonry Inc.’s sandblasting work at a commercial building that houses art studios. “When employers such as American Masonry knowingly ignore health>> Read More

Construction safety rules are intended to protect workers from unnecessary and avoidable risks. Unfortunately, they are often ignored in the field by those responsible for planning and scheduling work until the tragic moment when someone gets seriously hurt. Adding to the tragedy, these construction safety rules are then used to blame the worker for performing the>> Read More