Recent News – Smith & Griffith Legal Blog

NEP for excavation updated for better safety enforcement On October 1, 2018, OSHA’s revised National Emphasis Program for trenching and excavation went into effect. The revision came as a response to the increasing number of worker deaths and injuries during trenching and excavation operations. South Carolina residents who work in the private construction industry should…

AAA reports on drivers’ overreliance on safety tech Residents of South Carolina who are concerned about the effects of vehicle safety technology on driving behaviors will want to know about a study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. It states that people are relying too heavily on driver assistance systems and, as a…

Federal agency concludes worker deaths and injuries underreported The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers in South Carolina to report workplace fatalities and severe injuries within 24 hours. When the Office of Inspector General investigated these serious incidents, it determined that deadly and serious workplace accidents were widely underreported. Investigators looked at fatality and…

Drivers overestimate their own driving skills South Carolina is made up of all different kinds of people, and the great majority of them think they’re good drivers. It’s a quirk of human psychology that most people think they have above-average driving skills when, in fact, not everyone can be an above-average driver. The study that…

Hydroplaning: its causes and how to avoid it South Carolina drivers know that when the rainy season hits, they run the risk of hydroplaning on the road. This occurs when the tires encounter more water on the road then they can handle. The water pressure in front of the tires pushes that water underneath, creating…

Roadcheck blitz pulls nearly 12,000 trucks from service South Carolina readers know that poor vehicle maintenance can lead to car and truck accidents. However, some commercial truck drivers and companies fail to properly maintain their vehicles, which can endanger the public. For example, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance recently held its annual International Roadcheck inspection…

Five leading causes of construction worker deaths Construction workers in South Carolina, as elsewhere, are at a high risk for on-the-job accidents, many of which can be fatal. About 20 percent of all private sector employee deaths are composed of construction site accidents. OSHA stated that 1,000 construction deaths occurred in 2016 and that 60…

Eye injuries, and how workers can prevent them Workers in South Carolina are probably no strangers to eye injuries. Every day in the U.S., there are about 2,000 cases of workers sustaining job-related eye injuries that require medical treatment. Approximately one-third of these injuries are treated in emergency departments, and over 100 of them result…

Law enforcement and OSHA investigating deadly scaffold collapse Construction workers in South Carolina who work in high places know that many safety rules must be followed to prevent falls. Authorities at the construction site of the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort are continuing to look for the cause of a scaffold collapse that killed…

Motorcycle accidents can cause a range of injuries Motorcycle riders in South Carolina may face significant risks in the event of a crash. That’s why many motorcyclists use lots of safety gear in order to protect themselves when out on the open road. There are a number of studies that have inquired into the types…