Recent News – Smith & Griffith Legal Blog

CVSA announces 3-day truck safety inspection spree Truck drivers in South Carolina can expect to spend some extra time with safety inspectors during the 2018 International Roadcheck organized by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. For three days in June, inspectors will pull aside thousands of commercial trucks and buses in the U.S. and Canada and…

Loud noises on the job can threaten workers’ hearts The risks of loud noises in the workplace for workers in South Carolina can extend far beyond hearing loss according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC’s research found a high association between loud, noisy workplaces and the development of…

The many causes of highway fatalities Unsafe driving, poor road design and inclement weather all contribute to highway fatalities in South Carolina. Therefore, drivers should understand what particular factors are most commonly involved so that they can exercise greater caution around the region’s highways. Distracted driving is a growing issue as smartphones, infotainment systems and…

The top causes of commercial truck crashes Considering that millions of commercial trucks travel throughout South Carolina and across the U.S., it’s not surprising that some are involved in roadway accidents. In fact, the rate of commercial truck crashes has risen by 20 percent over the past decade. For this reason, the National Highway Traffic…

USITT and IATSE renew partership with OSHA OSHA regularly enters into alliances with trade groups, labor unions and other organizations to help them learn more about their rights and responsibilities in the workplace. Both employees and employers in South Carolina and elsewhere may benefit from taking part in the Alliance Program. Recently, OSHA renewed its…

Anchor points help prevent workplace injuries South Carolina employees who work from high locations at construction zones, industrial sites and other workplaces are at an increased risk of fall injuries. In order to improve workplace safety, a strong fall prevention and arrest system is necessary to keep workers supported in case of a slip or…

The signs and symptoms of soft tissue injuries When an individual strains a muscle or pulls a tendon, it is considered to be a soft tissue injury. South Carolina residents and others are most likely to sustain such injuries in a car crash. Soft tissue injuries are generally difficult to diagnose with an X-ray, so…

Five hazards in tree care the subject of OSHA document Tree care employers and employees in South Carolina may be aware that OSHA has no single safety standard for their industry. This is unfortunate because tree care is considered one of the most hazardous industries out there. Though a stakeholder meeting in 2016 pushed to…

Surveys show rise in black lung among coal miners In South Carolina and other states where the coal mining industry is still active, black lung disease is on the rise. This finding has surprised many people because at the end of the previous century, black lung diagnoses were at an all-time low with just over…

Distracted driving remains a serious road safety issue The alarming rise in car accidents in South Carolina and throughout the country has been blamed by some on the popularity of smartphones. However, safety experts say that the entertainment and information systems in many new cars can be just as distracting for drivers. A recent survey…