Workplace Woes, Law Stories & Cases | Scott Goodwin Law

Construction surveyors working while snowing

In a state like Michigan, the winter months really can be brutal. Some winters are colder and snowier than others, but even the years that aren’t so bad can still be pretty cold — especially if you have a job that involves working outside. For industries that often involve working outside, winter doesn’t necessarily mean

4 Types of Workplace Hazards

Monday, 22 January 2018 by
Construction worker on building site writing on notepad

There are a lot of ways to get hurt on the job and no workplace is ever completely and totally free of hazards. Even if you work in a seemingly safe environment like an office, it’s still entirely possible to encounter at least one type of hazard at work. Naturally, the exact types of hazards

Construction worker with hardhat on looking at blueprint standing on top of building

Our country depends on construction workers to build our homes, construct the buildings businesses operate in, and pave and repair our roads. But being a construction worker is hardly an easy job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, fatalities in the private construction industry increased 5% in 2019, a total of 1,061 deaths, the

Director's clapboard and movie reel laying on wood

There’s nothing entertaining about unsafe workplaces. In 2014, 4,679 workers were killed on the job, which worked out to an average of nearly 90 deaths per week or about 13 worker deaths every day. Another 3 million workers suffered non-fatal work-related illnesses and injuries that same year. However, many excellent films have been made over

A rusted warning sign for confined spaces

Construction workers often find themselves working in situations that could very easily become dangerous. They often work with heavy equipment, at elevated heights, and in tight, confined spaces. Confined spaces like manholes, silos, tunnels and crawlspaces are particularly hazardous because not only is there limited room for workers to make an emergency escape, they are

Female circus performer swinging on wooden swing

In the wake of a 2014 accident that left nine employees injured, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has agreed to a settlement that includes paying a $7,000 fine and improving safety procedures to keep their employees safe on the job. On May 4, 2014, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was

Trucks lined up at loading dock

41-year-old Heather Warren was killed in a truck accident while she was working at the U.S. Steel Great Lakes Works Cold Mill Shipping plant in Ecorse, Michigan. Warren had been working for the company for three years as a shift supervisor, handling office work and shipping. On the day she was killed, Heather Warren was

Hand punching woman in the face

All jobs come along with their own sets of workplace hazards, but for many healthcare workers and social workers, their biggest concern isn’t slip-and-fall accidents or equipment safety, but the rather the risk of being assaulted by the people they’re trying to help or the people close to them. Since workers in these fields often

Fast food hamburger and french fries

Burns might seem like an ordinary hazard of the trade when you work in kitchens or restaurants. A recent survey of fast food workers conducted by the Hart Research Association found that 79% of respondents were burned at least once on the job in the past year and 58% were burned more than once in

Railroad tracks winding through woods

Randall Miller, director of the now-scrapped film Midnight Rider, has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter over the death of camera assistant Sarah Jones. Jones was killed in February 2014 while the crew was trying to film a dream sequence on a train trestle when a train came down the tracks unexpectedly. Miller also pleaded guilty

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