Recent News – Smith & Griffith Legal Blog

Tips on how nurses can be safer on the job Nurses in South Carolina work for the health of their patients. However, these workers may want to consider their own safety while on the job. Some of the biggest risks for health care workers are sharps-related injuries, workplace violence and contact with allergens and toxic…

Department of Labor proposes stricter mining safety standards Safety advocacy groups in South Carolina were likely pleased on June 7 when the Labor Department proposed tougher inspection and reporting standards for the mining industry. According to data from the Mine Safety and Health Administration, more than 60 percent of the 122 mineworkers killed while on…

A fall in opioid prescriptions to injured workers Research conducted by the Workers Compensation Research Institute has found that the prescription of opioid painkillers like fentanyl, oxycodone and hydrocodone to workers’ compensation claimants fell sharply between March 2012 and March 2014. South Carolina was one of 25 states studied by the Massachusetts-based nonprofit group, and…

Deaths and injuries from car crashes up in South Carolina The past few years saw a decline in the number of driving deaths, but the number of fatal car accidents rose significantly in the first six months of last year. According to data from the National Safety Council, the number of car crashes, crashes involving…

Injuries, deaths in meat and poultry industries underreported People in South Carolina who work in the meat and poultry industry may face a number of safety hazards in the workplace, and deaths and injuries may be underreported. The Government Accountability Office criticized safety standards in the industry in 2005 and in an updated report has…

DJ suffers injuries in car accident South Carolina fans of Taylor Swift may be aware that her boyfriend, disc jockey Calvin Harris, was involved in a car accident May 20. The 32-year-old was a passenger in an SUV when the two-vehicle collision occurred. A 16-year-old girl drove the other vehicle, a Volkswagen Bug, and she…

Loggers work in most dangerous occupation in United States South Carolina residents who work in the logging industry know that their occupation can be hazardous, but they may not know the extent of it. A report that has been issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics based upon 2014 fatality data indicates the scope of…

Self-driving cars and the automobile insurance industry The South Carolina automobile insurance industry functions and maintains its profitability by accurately judging the average risk faced by any given vehicle it insures as much precision as it can. The company then determines how much money it should take to pay for all the accidents that will…

Motorcycle accidents and myths about safety Many South Carolina residents enjoy riding motorcycles both for pleasure as well as their primary modes of transportation. Motorcyclists are in greater danger of suffering severe injuries if they are involved in traffic accidents, and it’s important for them to understand motorcycle safety. There are several myths about what…

Ways to prevent accidents in the workplace Many South Carolina workers may be unaware of how common or serious on-the-job injuries can be as well as their rights in the event that they are injured. Of the approximately 3 million injuries that happen annually in U.S. workplaces, around one-third require workers to take time off.…