Workplace safety
N.J. Senate passes COVID dependent bill
The dependents of essential workers in New Jersey who die from COVID-19 in the course of employment may receive enhanced benefits if a bill that passed the state’s Senate becomes law.
AFL-CIO push for OSHA to issue temporary rule denied
A circuit court denied on Thursday a petition filed by labor unions that would have forced the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue an emergency safety rule to address COVID-19.
Ranch hand’s family may sue for wrongful death
The family of a ranch worker crushed to death by a bull is not precluded from seeking wrongful death and survival claims from the ranch, the Texas Supreme Court held Friday.
Bill asks safety committees to give opioid risk information
The Pennsylvania Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday to require employers who have certified safety committees as part of their workers compensation programs to include information about the risks associated with opioid use.
Pot users no more likely to be injured on job: Study
Marijuana users are no more likely to suffer injuries on the job than their coworkers who abstain, according to a study published in the May issue of the medical journal Substance Use and Abuse and conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia.
Insurer failed to prove cause of guard’s fall unexplained
A workers compensation insurer failed to prove that a security guard’s fall that resulted in a hospital treatment for a brain injury was “idiopathic,” or unexplained, the Workers’ Compensation Court of Montana ruled Tuesday in denying a summary judgment to the insurer.
Quest Diagnostics launches COVID workplace testing products
Quest Diagnostics on Wednesday announced a new suite of COVID-19 workplace testing products aimed at helping employers ensure safety among workers.