Recent News – Smith & Griffith Legal Blog

Report indicates insufficient mine safety warning measures Workers in South Carolina and the rest of the nation have the right to work in safe conditions. According to a recent report issued by the Office of Inspector General, federal mine safety officials are not proficiently addressing worker complaints concerning the dangerous conditions that can cause injuries…

Aggressive driving a factor in majority of traffic fatalities Aggressive driving contributed to 56 percent of traffic fatalities between 2003 and 2007, according to an American Automobile Association study. The study made use of data gathered by the Fatal Accident Report System, a project of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Drivers on South Carolina…

Keeping temporary workers safe on the job Temporary workers in South Carolina are entitled to the same safety protections as their full-time counterparts. A case study published by the American Staffing Association and the National Safety Council in conjunction with the Occupational Safety and Heath Administration examined the obligations of staffing firms and host employers…

Trucks placed out of service for brake violations On Oct. 20, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance released a report on the results of its annual 72-hour safety inspection campaign that took place in South Carolina and around the country in June. During the campaign, 21.5 percent of large trucks that were inspected were placed out…

Safety issues at construction sites South Carolina workers who are in the construction industry likely know that theirs is one of the more dangerous occupations. Accidents are unfortunately all too common, and statistics show that 20 percent of all workplace fatalities take place on construction sites. Employers are required to provide notice to the Occupational…

First six months of 2016 deadly Traffic accidents take the lives of South Carolina residents each year, and 2016 is showing itself to be a particularly deadly year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 18,000 people died in motor vehicle accidents across the country from January to June of 2016, which was…

DOL says federal intervention may be needed Workers’ compensation benefits have fallen in South Carolina and across the country, leading the Department of Labor to call for possible federal intervention in state workers’ compensation systems. The agency wants to investigate whether or not federal intervention is appropriate after a number of states have passed laws…

Health care workplace injury data Health care facilities in South Carolina and across the nation are subject to regular inspection and interrogation for data that may be used by analysts and regulatory organizations. A report from the Aon Global Risk Consulting Firm has discovered complex patterns related to injuries and compensation payouts in the health…

Combustible dust in South Carolina workplaces In some manufacturing jobs, combustible dust is a serious problem. When some types of dust are dispersed in the air, they might explode, causing serious injuries that can be fatal. It is important for workplaces in South Carolina and around the country to take steps to prevent dust buildup…

Workplace accidents and reporting requirements The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has crunched a full year’s worth of data since it launched severe injury reporting regulations at the start of 2015. This regulation requires employers in South Carolina and around the country to inform the agency within 24 hours of in-patient hospitalizations, amputations and eye…