Employers must be aware of potential workplace injuries

• There were nearly 139,000 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in New York in 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• The national rate of injury cases was 2.3 cases per 100 full-time equivalent in 2022, which was the same for 2021.
• Respiratory diseases, including COVID-19, are some of the most common workplace illnesses, with flu and colds following just behind, according to OSHA.
• OSHA publishes a long list of the most commonly violated workplace safety standards that often cause injuries, including fall protection, hazard communication standards, scaffolding requirements, respiratory protection, lockout/tagout, and powered industrial trucks.
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New contractor rule could impact economy

• The Biden administration is expected to release a final rule that will make it more difficult for companies to treat workers as independent contractors rather than employees that typically cost a company more.
• The U.S. Department of Labor rule is likely to face legal challenges and will require that workers be considered employees entitled to more benefits and legal protections.
• The rule could have the biggest impact on app-based services that rely heavily on contract workers has garnered the most attention.
• The proposal also will likely decrease flexibility for workers, resulting in lost opportunities to earn money.
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Cold weather brings possible peril to workers

• Cold temperatures and seasonal precipitation like freezing rain, hail, or snow can pose winter workplace hazards.
• The Alaska Occupational Safety and Health Division has reported the loss of limbs or extremities due to frostbite in cities and villages, as well as in more isolated areas of the state.
• AKOSH recommends that workers wear thermal underwear during winter, along with insulated footwear or mukluks with liners and double mittens.
• To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, OSHA recommends that employers install effective ventilation systems, and avoid using fuel-burning equipment and vehicles in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces.
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Workers injured at Wolfspeed

• Two people were injured and one had to be transported to the hospital after an accident with some equipment inside Wolfspeed, a manufacturer of wide-bandgap semiconductors in Durham, N.C.
• Once first responders arrived, they determined the situation was just a minor accident involving one of the machines that were scheduled for maintenance.
• In  July, a man was killed on site at this location which resulted in the Department of Labor fining Southern Industrial Constructors $20,000 for violating a pair of workplace safety rules.
• In 2022, The North Carolina Department of Labor cited Wolfspeed for two safety violations for a death at the facility.
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