The encouraging news is that New Hampshire leads the nation with the fewest workplace deaths, posting just 0.9 fatalities per 100,000 workers. Two fellow New England states, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, were second and third in safety, according to the study, which used figures from 2010.
]]> In last place was West Virginia with 13.1 fatalities for every 100,000 workers, largely because of the deaths of 29 workers in a well-publicized mine accident. Wyoming and Alaska followed it in terms of being the most dangerous states in which to work.Since the enactment of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the United Sates has seen its workplace fatality rate drop from 18 deaths per 100,000 employees to 3.6. Through the years, that means the lives of 451,000 American workers have been saved.
While those numbers initially sound impressive, with New Hampshire as the shining star, the United States lags behind the rest of the industrialized world in terms of workplace safety. Data provided by the International Labor Organization shows that U.S. ranks behind Sweden (1.5 deaths per 100,000), Finland (1.7 deaths), Norway and France (2), Germany (2.04), Australia (2.1), Ireland (2.5), Canada (2.7), Hungary (2.99), Estonia (3.2) and Spain (3.3).
The numbers reflect the relatively few resources the United States can devote to workplace safety. Between state and federal OSHA agencies, the U.S. has only about 2,200 inspectors and 8 million work sites. The current staffing provides just one inspector per 58,687 workers, while the International Labor Organization set the recommended standard at one inspector per 10,000 workers.
With the lack of state and federal inspectors, it becomes vitally important for workplaces to institute safety committees and other precautions to keep the job site as injury-free as possible.
Source: All Gov, "13 Workers a Day Die on the Job...Not Including Work-Related Diseases," Matt Bewig, May 8, 2012
]]>Due to one incident of road rage in the New Hampshire area, one man might not even be living if it wasn't for the quick thinking of a New Hampshire State Trooper. The trooper witnessed the car accident as he was escorting the New Hampshire governor and his wife north along I-93 near Exit 44. The governor and his wife were on official business at the time.
]]> What police determined to be road rage occurred in front of the officer as he saw one of the vehicles careen off the road and hit a guardrail before overturning. The driver was trapped inside as the vehicle, which ignited into flames.The trooper quickly pulled over to assist the man. He climbed through the windshield and jarred the man loose, pulling him to safety. While the officer deflected claims that he was a true hero, the governor of New Hampshire commended the man for his quick thinking and putting himself in danger to ensure the safety of community members.
While the driver escaped, he will be facing legal woes for his role in the road rage incident. The 61-year-old man is a member of the police force in nearby Massachusetts and was behind the wheel of a 2003 Dodge Durango during the accident. He received a marked lanes violation and is expected to face additional charges.
While media reports did not detail the altercation, police believe the road rage incident was between the man and the driver of a red pickup truck. A BMW was also caught up in the mix. The man tried to pass the BMW on the left, but accidentally struck it, causing him to lose control and leave the roadway.
If the Durango driver proves to be the instigator, anyone injured in the altercation could come back to him and seek damages for his behavior.
Source: Peabody Patch, "Peabody officer pulled from fiery wreck by NH state trooper," John Castelluccio, May 2, 2012
]]>A New Hampshire man likely did not consider his job at a local brewery overly dangerous, but a recent accident on the job left the man dead and his expecting wife a widow.
]]> The 26-year-old man from Newington was cleaning out a beer keg, which required him to pressurize it using air. This would force out any beer that was left behind in the otherwise empty keg.Unexpectedly, the keg exploded and levied out fatal injuries. The sudden tragedy has left many friends, family and acquaintances of the victim understandably rattled. Meanwhile, the authorities are getting involved to investigate the accident and examine if any negligence contributed to it.
A spokesperson for the United States Department of Labor said the Concord-based branch of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration would conduct the investigation. This investigation will determine whether the brewery had proper safety measures built into place and whether the worker was abiding by those guidelines during the time of the accident.
If found to be noncompliant with national safety regulations, the brewery could see citations from OSHA and face hefty fines as a result. Furthermore, the brewery could open themselves up to a civil suit filed on behalf of the victim's family if it is shown that he died at the hands of an unsafe work environment.
Meanwhile, men and women around the country who were familiar with the tragedy offered sympathetic sentiments on the Facebook accounts of both the victim and the brewery. The victim's wife, who had been married to him for only about a month, said he was very excited about being a father.
Source: SeaCoastOnline.com, "Keg-blast victim had baby on way," Charles McMahon, April 26, 2012
]]>This was the fate that one man simply refused to accept following a serious motorcycle accident in New Hampshire that left him as a paraplegic. The man was doing what he loved when the accident occurred -- racing motorcycles. While on a racetrack in New Hampshire in 1994, he lost control and struck the wall, levying out his catastrophic injury and placing him in a wheelchair.
]]> For many, the story would end there, but not for this determined individual. Embracing the physical limitations that his injury left him, the man continued to seek out high-adrenaline activities like mono skiing and even bobsledding, where he participated in a World Cup bobsled event in 2006. Even his longtime passion of riding and racing motorcycles was no longer out of the man's reach due to his determination.The man uses a modified motorcycle that provides holsters for his feet. One of the only noticeable differences on the man's motorcycle is that it sports support wheels, which allow him to stabilize himself on the bike before he gets going.
This modified motorcycle was made possible through a United Kingdom-based program called The Bike Experience, which aims at giving disabled men and women their chance at getting back on a motorcycle again. The program also teaches a disabled individual how to get on and off the bike and what to do when they're done. Riding is essentially the easiest part given a person's ailments.
The man has found so much value in the program that he aims to bring it to the United States and is in the process of procuring the equipment and volunteers to facilitate it. The man said a program like this has helped him feel normal again.
Source: KSL.com, "Paraplegic works to make motorcycles accessible," Mike Anderson, April 20, 2012
]]>In 2012 alone, 88 workers under the age of 20 died from work-related injuries. An additional 20,000 spent time away from work due to injuries or illnesses that were suffered because of conditions at work. Some might think that because teens are generally stronger and healthier than older workers, they cannot be affected by workplace hazards. This study, released by the Colorado School of Public Health, certainly says otherwise.
]]> Young workers make up a big part of the work force in the United States. Data shows that 17.6 million employees under the age of 25 hold employment in America.Many of these teen injuries and deaths on the job could have been avoided. Of the 20,000 workers between the ages of 14 and 17 who are injured at work every year, the most common ailments are things like cuts, burns, fractures and sprains.
New Hampshire residents tend to attribute child labor abuse as an issue facing only foreign countries. One professor that was involved in the study said that Americans should look at child labor laws in their own country and see if enough is being done to preserve the safety of teenage workers.
This professor pointed out that current laws that are supposed to protect teen workers are too lenient. In cases where young workers labor on family farms, there really are no laws to protect the teens. This is most problematic because they are working around heavy and dangerous machinery that could severely injure or kill them.
Researchers are hoping that the study will provide a call to action for more federal oversight on teen workers, especially those that labor in the unregulated environments like farms.
Source: Medical Daily, "Dozens of teenagers lose lives each year due to poor safety standards," April 10, 2012
]]>A preliminary investigation cleared the mayor's name as law enforcement ruled out both speed and alcohol as causes for the accident. The 32-year-old victim was a pedestrian attempting to cross the street.
]]> The mayor was driving along Main Street just west of the Main Street Mobile station at around 6:55 p.m. when he struck the man. The mayor, a 58-year-old male, said that the pedestrian seemingly appeared out of nowhere and that there was no way he could have possibly avoided hitting him with his 2011 Ford F-150 pick-up truck.The mayor estimated that he had about six feet between his pick-up truck and the pedestrian when he attempted to brake. The mayor claimed that he felt terrible and could not sleep; thinking about the possible damage he inflicted. Luckily for both of the men, the victim did not suffer any internal injuries or broken bones.
After the accident, the victim was brought to a local hospital and airlifted to another, larger hospital. At that time, doctors worried that he might be suffering from internal injuries, which would have proven life-threatening.
The mayor speculated that the victim likely lived at a nearby home and was crossing the street to get from the gas station back his residence. He also said that the man was attempting to cross the road about 100 yards from the nearest crosswalk.
The mayor has not yet communicated with the victim, but said he hopes to be able to speak with him once the investigation is behind them.
Source: The Union Leader, "Mayor hit man crossing street," Meghan Pierce, April 3, 2012
]]>While a physical recovery is hard enough, what about the mental and psychological side of it? Hampton readers who have or know someone who has endured a spinal cord injury may find the following story inspirational.
]]> The morale and self-worth of a spinal cord injury victim can often plummet following the accident. A victim might feel useless or ugly because they cannot execute some tasks by themselves and might look differently than others.One woman, who was paralyzed after a pool accident during her bachelorette party in 2010, has stepped into the media spotlight and proven to victims of spinal cord injury that they do not have to let depression rule their lives simply because they are physically limited.
Her life has been chronicled on the TODAY show ever since her accident. The woman has gone on to get married, went on her honeymoon and even had the opportunity to walk, stand and drive a modified van all with the help of technology.
The message she is wielding should be an uplifting one to those stricken with these life-changing injuries, many times at the hands of another person's negligence.
With plans to write a book about her experiences, the woman said that her main message to injured men and women around the nation is that they can feel sexy and confident in themselves even while confined to a wheelchair. She is also not allowing her injury to define her or dictate what she does in her life, either. She still wants to have children some day.
Physically, the woman has maintained rigorous workouts to expand her range of motion. By strengthening her upper body, the woman has become more mobile, able to push herself up ramps. One of her doctors points to her incredibly optimistic attitude when discussing her recovery since the accident.
Source: msnbc.com, "Paralyzed bride: 'You can be sexy in a wheelchair'," Scott Stump, March 30, 2012
]]>A police officer for the city of Seabrook who responded to the accident confirmed that the man's injuries were severe, as they usually are in motorcycle accidents.
]]> The victim was initially brought to a New Hampshire hospital, but then airlifted to a hospital near Boston. The man suffered a serious arm injury, but an even bigger concern was the head trauma he also sustained in the accident. The authorities did not release the man's identity, but did confirm that the man was around 40 years old.The scene of the accident was unfortunately an all too familiar one. The female driver of the PT Cruiser took an ill-advised turn right in front of the path of the motorcycle. The biker was operating on Route 1 heading south in the middle of the day when the driver cut him off as she exited the McDonald's parking lot. The PT Cruiser struck the motorcyclist along the passenger side of the car.
The stretch of road where the accident occurred was temporarily closed while first responders worked to tend to the injured man and clean up the scene.
The car took on damage to the passenger side of the vehicle, where it connected with the biker. One of the passenger side airbags deployed due to the impact of the collision.
Police continue to investigate the accident and have not issued charges against the female driver.
It was no coincidence that the accident happened as temperatures began to climb in the region. With warm weather come additional motorcyclists on the road. Some areas can see unusually high volumes of motorcyclists during the spring and summer. It then becomes even more paramount that fellow motorists keep their eyes out for these hard-to-spot vehicles.
Source: Daily News, "Route 1 accident seriously injures NH motorcyclist," David Rogers, March 22, 2012
]]>Road rage can often spiral out of control and lead drivers to act in ways that compromise their safety and fellow motorists on the road. In this case, a boyfriend and girlfriend were driving separate cars when they allowed their emotions to get the best of them.
]]> The man, age 24, from Concord, was weaving through traffic at a high rate of speed on Interstate 393 along with his 17-year-old girlfriend, according to information released by police.When the man, who was behind the wheel of a 1995 Nissan Maxima, reached his girlfriend, he tossed something out of the window, which struck the windshield of his girlfriend's 2000 Toyota Echo, causing the windshield to crack. After this act, the man sped ahead of her car.
The woman pursued, and once they reached Exit 3 of the highway, she attempted to maneuver her Toyota around the man's car once again. As she attempted to do this, both cars approached a curve in the road, causing the woman to lose control. Her car struck a guardrail, causing it to flip multiple times. The woman had on board a male passenger during the accident. Both occupants of the car were ejected. They were both taken to the hospital and treated for minor injuries.
As the car flipped, it struck the boyfriend's Nissan, which was also carrying a female passenger and an infant. No one in that car was injured.
Police continue to investigate the accident and the events leading up to it. Pending the outcome of that investigation, both drivers could receive charges for their roles.
Source: Concord Monitor, "Police: Road rage caused rollover," March 26, 2012
]]>This is what makes workplace injuries or deaths so delicate and intricate when it comes to assigning blame. Employers might be rushed to heap the blame on an employee and then unjustly punish them to add insult to the injury. An employer should not rush to punish an injured employee, even if they think the workplace injury was their fault.
]]> Many times following an injury at work, the injured party will file a claim with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). If an employer attempts to punish a worker following this action, it will likely be considered retaliation. An employee cannot be punished for highlight possible hazards in the workplace.After all, the employer is responsible for abiding by OSHA guidelines and creating a work environment free of health and safety hazards. They are also responsible for reporting all injuries to OSHA and notifying employees of any hazards they might encounter while on the job. An employee can hold employers to this, and go over their heads with a claim to OSHA if these guidelines are not followed.
If an employer takes exception to this and punishes the employee, that employee can file an additional complaint to OSHA regarding the retaliatory treatment.
This does not mean that an employer cannot punish employees injured by their own neglect. But in doing so, employers must be careful to follow all relevant OSHA statutes. Experts also suggest that employers really dig into their employment and labor contracts, in addition to any disciplinary policies, to ensure they are following proper procedure in disciplining an injured employee.
Source: Reuters, "Legal to discipline an injured employee?," Cynthia Hsu, March 2, 2012
]]>The statute that spells out this scenario is commonly referred to as the Fireman's Rule. Essentially, this statute states that if an emergency worker is injured due to negligence by a property owner -- say, if they slipped on the sidewalk or fell down a broken flight of stairs -- the property owner can be held accountable. However, if a firefighter, for instance, is struck by a beam that was jarred loose by the flames, that is not the property owner's fault.
]]> This scenario played out for an Epping volunteer firefighter who was hurt on a woman's property due to the homeowner's apparent negligence. The worker slipped on the home's steep driveway because it was not cleared of snow and ice. Originally, the firefighter's lawsuit was thrown out by a Rockingham County Superior Court judge, but the state Supreme Court eventually ruled in his favor. The accident left his leg permanently disabled.While these measures help to improve safety conditions for firefighters, it could have an adverse effect, according to the president of the Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire. He said that because a homeowner could be held liable for injuries on their property, they might be less likely to call for help, fearing that an emergency worker will get hurt on their premises.
While firefighters already knowing the risks that come with the job and have the rights to workers' compensation benefits when they are injured in the line of duty, some might argue that the Fireman's Rule is excessive and only harms people who might become skittish to call crews in the event of an emergency.
Source: Firehouse.com, "N.H. firefighters worried some may hesitate after ruling," Pat Grossmith, March 1, 2012
]]>Research conducted by a Canadian doctor was printed in the medical journal PLoS ONE and showed the great need for surgery within 24 hours of a spinal injury.
]]> The doctor's study showed that by a patient receiving surgery within this timeframe, it increases their chance for a positive outcome by 20 percent. The study indicated that one in five patients were able to stave off paralysis by receiving treatment right away.Through his work, the doctor was able to discover that by receiving prompt surgery, patients have double the chance of making major neurological recoveries as opposed to prolonging the time between the injury and surgery.
Up until now, many doctors feared the idea of conducting surgery within 24 hours of a spinal cord injury. Many doctors would hold off until later, fearing that immediate surgery could worsen a patient's condition when in fact the exact opposite is true.
In Ontario, Canada, where the doctor conducted some of his research for his study, there are roughly 500 spinal cord injuries per year with 60 percent of them involving the cervical area (the cervical area starts at the base of the neck). The researcher ventured to guess that only about 50 percent of patients that suffer these types of injuries receive the necessary care within 24 hours. However, there were no official stats to back up this notion. This could mean that many doctors throughout the United States operate with the same mindset.
The researcher behind the study used 313 patients from six hospitals throughout North America for his study and hoped that it would bring to light a serious issue and lead doctors to administer the immediate care that could be so crucial in a patient's recovery.
Source: Toronto Star, "Speedy surgery lessens chance of paralysis in cervical spinal cord injuries," Theresa Boyle, Feb. 23, 2012
]]>Recently, prosecutors are having a hard time pinning what they consider to be the rightful charges to a man who caused a car accident in Dover, New Hampshire in 2006 that claimed the lives of two people.
]]> The prosecution argued that the 53-year-old man, an admitted heroin addict, was rushing to Portsmouth, New Hampshire in March of 2006 to make a drug purchase when he ran a red light and struck a car carrying a 34-year-old man and his 17-year-old nephew. Both perished in the accident.The man told police after the accident that he was, in fact, a heroin addict and he had taken drugs earlier in the morning to ease the symptoms of his withdrawal. He also confirmed that he was traveling to his destination to buy more drugs.
Officials that tested the man found very small amounts of morphine and an anti-seizure medication in his blood. However, due to a failure to follow proper lab protocol in these situations, the United States Supreme Court threw out both his manslaughter and reckless homicide convictions.
The prosecution claimed the testing had run through a certain doctor, but that doctor later testified that he was not involved in the process. This case was eerily similar to another case in New Mexico where a judge threw out a man's drunk driving conviction because of a snafu in the testing process. The Supreme Court based their recent decision on the New Mexico case.
The prosecution in the New Hampshire case has urged the Supreme Court to reinstate those charges and that the test results had nothing to do with the man's manslaughter charges. The results would, however, play a part in convicting him of reckless manslaughter because it showed he was impaired at the time of the accident.
Judges for the state's Supreme Court, where the trial stands now, did not offer comment on how they might rule.
Source: Associated Press, "Judges urged to reinstate conviction in fatal New Hampshire accident," Lynne Tuohy, Feb. 17, 2012
]]>The judge ordered that the man, age 48, spend between 2.5 to 6 years behind bars of a state prison. Once the man is released from prison, his driver's license will be suspended for the following two years. In addition to the jail time, the man was fined $1,000 for his actions and ordered to pay $5,220 in victim restitution. The man will also have to participate in a drug and alcohol treatment program.
]]> The man had just recently pleaded guilty to the offenses, charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated causing serious injury. Despite admitting to his role in the accident, he did not offer an apology to the victims.The victims were a 7-year-old girl and her grandfather. The two were riding on the grandfather's motorcycle on April 17, 2011. According to police, the accident happened on Chester Road in Fremont where the drunk driver drove his Toyota Scion head-on into the front of the motorcycle.
The young girl suffered from numerous broken bones in her left leg, where doctors were forced to insert a metal plate and two rods. The girl's grandfather required shoulder surgery after the accident to treat a torn rotator cuff.
Frustratingly, this was not the drunk driver's first scrape with the law. He was convicted of DWI in 1991 and had also been charged with drug possession and resisting arrest.
Source: New Hampshire Union Leader, "Prison for Epping drunk driver who crashed into motorcycle carrying Somersworth girl, grandfather," Jason Schreiber, Feb. 6, 2012
]]>The woman was riding along in June of 2009 when a brown Labrador retriever ran out into the road in front of her. The woman collided with the back half of the animal, causing her to lose control of the bike. She ran off the road and crashed into a telephone pole, sustaining what she called both extensive and permanent injuries.
]]> The woman wants the owner of the dog to be held responsible for the destruction it apparently caused. For this, she is turning to the state's dog bite laws, which fall under the loose umbrella of premises liability. The dog bite laws in New Hampshire are designed to hold dog owners responsible for the destruction or injury the animal causes. The only problem in this case is that the dog did not actually bite the woman, making it somewhat of a reach.A federal judge agreed. Recently, a U.S. District Court judge shot down the woman's request to pursue litigation against the dog's owners under such pretense. The judge did not feel that the New Hampshire's dog bite laws applied to the case.
The woman initially filed the suit against the dog's owner, who let his adult son take the dog to an auto parts yard where they both worked. She claimed that the man's failure to keep tabs on the dog made him liable for the accident.
Source: Nashua Telegraph, "Court: Woman may not sue even though dog causes accident," Joseph G. Cote, Jan. 31, 2012
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