Recent News – Smith & Griffith Legal Blog

Nuclear lab’s safety record facing criticism South Carolina workers employed in hazardous jobs may be interested to learn that the safety record at the lab that created the atomic bomb has been facing criticism. According to the Center for Public Integrity, numerous internal reports show that federal regulators have had concerns regarding safety lapses over…

Dental practices and OSHA bloodborne exposure standards Some employees of South Carolina dental practices may be at risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens. An advocacy group known as the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention along with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health carried out a survey of 1,059 people who worked for…

Trucking case declined hearing by Supreme Court Commercial truck drivers in South Carolina should be aware that the United States Supreme Court refused to hear a class-action lawsuit against the United States Department of Transportation and the Pre-Employment Screening Program. The six truck drivers who filed the lawsuit with the assistance of the Owner-Operator Independent…

New CDL rules go into effect The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is responsible for ensuring that the nation’s commercial vehicles are safe and properly maintained, and the federal safety agency also establishes the requirements for obtaining commercial driver’s licenses in South Carolina and around the country. The FMCSA proposed changes to these rules in…

Limited experience in fatal coal mining accidents South Carolina workers might be interested to learn that the total number of coal mining fatalities in 2016 was at an all-time low of eight. As of June 8, 2017, seven coal miners have died in 2017, and almost all of them had under a year of experience…

International Roadcheck to focus on cargo safety in 2017 Truck drivers in South Carolina and around the country may wish to check their loads are properly secured before taking to the roads during International Roadcheck. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has announced that cargo safety will be the focus of this year’s 72-hour-long safety initiative,…

Supreme Court makes sleep apnea tests more likely A Supreme Court ruling may make it easier for trucking companies to ask drivers in South Carolina and elsewhere to submit to sleep apnea testing. The court ruled against a driver for Crete Carrier Corp. saying that they didn’t violate his rights under the Americans with Disabilities…

Reducing child fatality rates in motor vehicle accidents South Carolina parents may be able to save the lives of their children if they restrain them properly when in vehicles. A study that appeared in the “Journal of Pediatrics” found that a 10 percent increase in correct use of restraints could lower the fatality rate for…

Alcohol-related motorcycle facts for 2014 In South Carolina and across the country, 4,311 motorcycle riders died in traffic accidents during 2014. While speeding, the driver’s age and the size of the motorcycle were factors in many of the crashes, alcohol was a factor in nearly 40 percent of the accidents, according to the National Highway…

What to know about combustible dust South Carolina workers may not realize the danger that combustible dust may pose in the workplace. According to data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System, there were 500 combustible dust fires in 2011 alone. The fires impacted companies across a variety of sectors, and many were labeled as…