starkblogsdev – Blog Archive

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Seeks Updated Safety Standards Regarding Faulty Equipment in the Workplace

starkblogsdev on August 26, 2021

Category: Workers' Compensation

As a personal injury attorney with a focus on injured workers and employees, I represent many individuals who are injured by machine accidents.

Common causes of machine accidents

More often than not, machine accidents are caused by either a lack of guards, barriers, and gates or by the removal of safety devices. These accidents can lead to amputations or even fatal injuries. While employers must do their due diligence by keeping their workers safe, many times the injuries are caused by faulty or incomplete equipment in the workplace.

The Importance of Complying With the 2021 Philadelphia Construction Requirements

starkblogsdev on April 28, 2021

Category: Legal Updates, Workers' Compensation

Every year, the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspection updates contractors and subcontractors on the requirements needed to operate in Philadelphia. While some requirements have been longstanding, workers and contractors should be aware and mindful of what is required of them to be permitted to perform construction and to help keep workers safe. To operate construction services in Philadelphia, one set of rules a contractor must follow is the Contractor Operational requirements. These are codes of conduct for both contractors and subcontractors which require, but are not limited to: a valid license, necessary operating permits, prohibition on selling or transferring licenses and permits, and maintaining demographic information at a job site such as addresses and contact numbers for key personnel and companies.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sexual Abuse Cases

starkblogsdev on April 5, 2021

Category: Sexual Abuse

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Please find several frequently asked questions regarding sexual abuse/assault, along with answers below.

If you are survivor of sexual abuse, do you have a viable civil claim?

Unfortunately, not all sexual abuse claims are viable civil cases. For an individual to have a viable civil sexual abuse claim, it is critical that there is a viable defendant who has the ability to compensate the victim for their injuries (mental and physical).

Victims of Unlawful Dissemination of Intimate Images Can Seek Justice

starkblogsdev on July 20, 2020

Category: Personal Injury
Tag: Links

In our high-tech world of Snapchat, Groupme and text messaging, individuals are often sharing intimate photos or videos with their romantic partners via cellphones. Additionally, with the prevalence of in-home security cameras, webcams, and cellphone video technology, it is easier than ever for an individual to record intimate interactions without their partner’s consent or knowledge. Even when consent is provided by both parties for the recording of such intimate interaction, there usually is not consent to share and distribute such recordings with others outside of the relationship.

COVID-19 and Construction in Philadelphia and Surrounding States

starkblogsdev on April 14, 2020

Category: Personal Injury

Being in a family of construction workers, the COVID-19 crisis has hit hard. My family members, like yours are out of work, seeking unemployment, or their businesses are prevented from thriving.

With COVID-19 not yet reaching its peak, several Construction businesses have been required to halt residential and commercial construction due to the Commonwealth’s ordered shut down. This has left many employees, construction companies, and suppliers struggling to survive. While the City of Philadelphia has taken measures, such as online permitting, in an attempt to allow payments and work to continue in some circumstances, most construction has been halted. However, in other parts of the country, work continues and employees are being put at risk. Recently in North Carolina, a stand down was orchestrated in an effort to address protection of workers and the community.

Sexual Abuse in Pennsylvania

starkblogsdev on April 6, 2020

Category: Sexual Abuse

All too often society’s most vulnerable citizens – our youth – are abused by the very people who are responsible for their care.

In 2017, over 3,000 children in Pennsylvania were placed in out-of-home juvenile delinquent residential facilities, including group homes. Surveys conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice in a study show the disturbing trend that sexual abuse in these facilities is increasing nationwide.

Knocked Down and Injured by a Dog – Now What?

starkblogsdev on June 27, 2017

Category: Personal Injury
Tag: Brain Injury News

Most people are aware that a dog owner can be sued if his dog bites you. But what if a dog runs up to you, jumps on you, and knocks you down, causing injury? That scenario highlights the difference between injuries from dog bites and injuries that occur from a dog attack or confrontation.

Pennsylvania law treats dog attacks differently depending on whether the dog is a “dangerous dog” and whether the bite caused severe injury or death. A “dangerous dog” is defined as one that has:

Inflicted severe injury on a human being without provocation on public or private property.
Killed or inflicted severe injury on a domestic animal, dog, or cat without provocation while off the owner’s property.
Attacked a human being without provocation.
Been used in the commission of a crime.

And the dog has either or both of the following:

A history of attacking human beings and/or domestic animals, dogs, or cats without provocation.
A propensity to attack human beings and/or domestic animals, dogs, or cats without provocation.

Updating Reinforcing Steel and Post-Tensioning Standards

starkblogsdev on May 30, 2017

Category: Personal Injury, Workers' Compensation
Tag: Brain Injury News

Industry stakeholders, contractors, and industry associations recently provided testimony at an OSHA public hearing regarding reinforcing steel and post-tensioning standards. As reported by The Ironworker, the rationale for pursuing new standards is:

The current OSHA standard written in 1971 is antiquated and only contains three references specifically pertaining to reinforcing steel and two for post tensioning.
Common hazards during reinforcing steel installation and post-tensioning operations are not addressed in current standards.
Fatality and accident trends indicate a direct correlation between accident causation factors and lack of specific regulations.
The usage of steel reinforced and post-tensioned poured-in-place concrete is expected to double.
The negotiated rulemaking process will produce the best safety standard and regulations through the cooperative efforts of OSHA, stakeholders and experts in the reinforcing steel and post-tensioning industry.

Protecting members during reinforcing steel activities is part of the “2017 Zero Incident” campaign. The goal of the campaign is to pursue safety standards that will prevent workplace incidents. Key safety provisions of the proposed OSHA standards pertain to reinforcing steel and post-tensioning standards and prevention of structural collapse during the hoisting process of walls and columns. The proposed text of the standard is available here.

Building Trades and IBEW Local 98 Volunteer to Repair Cemetery

starkblogsdev on March 28, 2017

Category: Community
Tag: IBEW Local 98

The IBEW reports that members of Philadelphia Building Trades and IBEW Local 98 are volunteering their time and resources to repair a vandalized cemetery in the City of Brotherly Love. In February, vandals toppled hundreds of headstones in the Mount Carmel Jewish Cemetery.

In response to the incident, the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, headed by Local 98 Business Manager John Dougherty, offered to replace and repair the damaged headstones, and install lighting and security cameras to prevent future vandalism.

City Councilman Bobby Henon, who is also a Local 98 member, tweeted about the Building Trade and IBEW response to the incident, calling it “good news” that Building Trades will restore headstones & IBEW will pay for and install security cameras at the cemetery.

https://twitter.com/BobbyHenon/status/836295542875566080

IBEW President Lonnie R. Stephenson applauded the efforts of Local 98 and other members of the Philadelphia building trades.

Workplace Liability When a Third Party is Negligent

starkblogsdev on March 13, 2017

Category: Workers' Compensation
Tag: Brain Injury News

When someone is injured on the job, his employer provides workers’ compensation benefits. But what if a third party was negligent? Can the worker also file suit against the third party?

Author: starkblogsdev