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Construction Workers Are Entitled to a Safe Workplace

Although construction sites are a naturally dangerous place to work, employers are legally obligated to provide construction workers with reasonably safe worksites. Certain construction worker rights are granted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Employers have certain obligations to ensure the safety of employees, including: Maintaining a workplace free of predetermined hazards. Ensuring employee tools and equipment are safe for use. Notifying employees of the OSHA standards that apply to the workplace. Creating a written hazard communication program,...

Power Morcellator Use Drops after FDA Warning

According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the use of power morcellators has decreased dramatically since 2014 when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that the devices could spread cancer. Power morcellators have been used for decades in minimally invasive gynecological procedures like hysterectomies and fibroid removal. The device enters the abdomen through a small incision instead of requiring a large incision like traditional surgeries. Once in the abdomen, the...

Car Drives into Porch, Injuring Seven on South Side

On Tuesday Sept. 13, an SUV slammed into the porch of a Gresham neighborhood home on Chicago’s South Side, injuring seven and leaving a young girl in critical condition. The driver of a Nissan Pathfinder driving through the area hit two vehicles before jumping the curb and crashing into the porch of a nearby home. A young girl who was walking along the roadway was struck and pinned to the home’s porch, and six others were injured in the accident....

Illinois Contractor Cited by OSHA for Seventh Time

A Joliet construction contractor, P.T. Ferro, was recently cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for exposing employees to unsafe trench working conditions. This is the seventh time the company has been cited by OSHA for similar hazards that endanger workers. The proposed penalties are $104,756 and include one willful and two serious safety citations. Inspectors determined that a competent person knew of the trench dangers and still permitted an employee to work in the trench. In June...

Date for Second Strike Authorization Vote Set by CTU

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has approved a second strike authorization vote, which will run from Sept. 21st to Sept. 23rd. This...

Distracted Driving Concerns Increase as Motor Vehicle Deaths Rise

New estimates from the National Safety Council show a 24 percent rise in traffic fatalities in Illinois in recent years. The state ranks sixth for the largest increase in fatalities since 2014. In 2015, there was an eight percent increase in traffic fatalities over the previous year, marking the largest year-to-year increase in traffic fatalities in 50 years. According to preliminary data from the first half of 2016, the nation is on track to surpass that number again. From January...

Common Types of Wage Theft

Wage theft is a very real problem for a number of workers across the country. Not getting paid for the exact number of hours worked in a week is both frustrating and illegal. Most common among service industry and shift workers, wage theft refers to various infractions that result in workers not receiving their legally promised income. There are variety of tactics employers use to steal from their employees, including: Working off the clock – If your employer has you...