Wisconsin is one of the states that is governed by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration programs in contrast to states that have their own programs. This means that since January 1, 2015, employers in the state of Wisconsin have also been subject to new reporting regulations for serious injuries. In the first year, there were 2,644 work-related amputations and 7,636 work-related hospitalizations reported.
Farm works at risk for suffocation on toxic fumes
Two recent deaths related to agriculture in Wisconsin have raised awareness about a very specific danger on farms. The danger is related to the storage of manure, and the risks of exposure to the toxic fumes associated with this process can be illness or even death.
Truck drivers may soon be screened for sleep apnea
Commercial truck drivers on Wisconsin highways may be fatigued if they have not had sufficient sleep. If a driver has obstructive sleep apnea, getting a good night's rest can be especially difficult. OSA is a respiratory condition that causes people to have interrupted breathing during sleeping hours and fatigue during waking hours.
CDC: Hearing loss most common workplace injury, affects 22 million
When you hear the phrase "workplace injury," your mind probably immediately thinks of physical injuries caused by a fall, or a dangerous work environment, or a negligent co-worker. You may imagine someone with broken bones, cuts, bruises or even a head injury. But what would you say is the most common workplace injury in the United States?
At least two injured after collapse at construction site
A construction accident in West Allis, Wisconsin recently left at least two workers with injuries and investigators asking plenty of questions about how the accident occurred. With the investigation early in the process, there are few details available about this story.
The true value of workplace safety
A new study found that worker safety in Wisconsin and elsewhere in the nation may be linked to a company's financial health. Researchers from the University of Texas at Dallas used injury data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine that injury rates increase during times of negative cash flow and decrease during times of positive cash flow. They also found that the value of a company decreases after an increase in injury accidents.
A real safety program can lower your workers' compensation costs
For employers, workers' compensation is something of a mixed blessing. Because it protects them from being sued by their injured workers, it both lowers their overall costs and provide a relatively fixed cost from year to year. But employers, perhaps spoiled by more than a century in Wisconsin of that protection, would like to lower their costs even more.
