In honor of national Workers’ Memorial Day, family and friends gathered at the City-County Building in Knoxville last month to remember loved ones who were killed in work-related accidents throughout Tennessee. More than 160 Tennessee workers lost their lives in fatal on-the-job accidents in 2011 and 2012, according to data compiled by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Workers’ Compensation Division of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. If you were injured in a workplace accident in Tennessee, or if you lost a loved one to a fatal work injury, consult our reputable attorneys at Michael D. Ponce & Associates to discuss your legal options. You may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits for your losses, which our lawyers can help you pursue.
Workplace accidents are a major cause of injury and fatality in the state of Tennessee. In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor reports that Tennessee’s workplace fatality rate actually surpassed the national rate in 2010. More recently, a report released by East Tennessee State University (ETSU) indicated that the state needs to improve its workplace safety laws in order to slow this disturbing trend. The same report also suggested that TN employers need to develop more injury prevention programs to protect the safety of their workers. “Look for hazards, identify them, assess them, and then as a group, figure out how to prevent and control them,” said Ken Silver, associated professor of environmental health at ETSU. At the worker memorial ceremony, Silver pointed out that the problem of workplace injuries and fatalities in Tennessee is “wholly man made,” and made several recommendations on how employers can provide safer work environments for employees.
In their study, Silver and the other researchers from ETSU argue that employers in TN should develop comprehensive injury and illness prevention programs to improve workplace safety across the state. They say that practice is an effective way to reduce injury and illness on the job site, and Silver also notes that fewer workplace accidents raises overall worker morale. At the Workers’ Memorial Day ceremony in Knoxville, loved ones and worker advocates from Jobs with Justice, Bridges to Justice and others listened as Gloria Johnson, a Knoxville state legislator, read the names of TN workers who were killed on the job during the last two years, and a bell was rung for each life that was lost. If you have suffered a workplace injury in Nashville, or elsewhere in Tennessee, contact our qualified lawyers at Michael D. Ponce & Associates to discuss filing a TN workers’ compensation claim.
Source: http://www.wbir.com/news/article/271991/2/Families-friends-remember-victims-of-fatal-work-injuries