Safety/Health

Rep. Green asks for investigation into fatal Goodyear explosion

08/04/2008

U.S. Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston, in a letter to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), called for an investigation into the fatal explosion that occurred June 11 at a Houston Goodyear facility that makes synthetic rubber for tires …

Can we ban guns in the workplace?

08/04/2008

Q. May an employer prohibit employees who are licensed by the state of Texas to carry a concealed firearm from bringing firearms onto the employer’s property? …

Successful weight watchers attend program at no cost

08/01/2008

Weight watchers at Sheboygan, Wis.-based Acuity can lose weight free if they meet their program goals. Employees who sign up for the Weight Watchers program pay $100 for 17 weekly meetings, and the insurance company reimburses them if they meet their program-established weight-loss goals.

You must protect customers—Even from off-Duty workers

07/29/2008

If you think your employment law risk for each employee disappears the moment the person walks out your door each night, think again. An important court ruling shows how your organization can be liable even for off-duty employees who loiter near the workplace—and in some cases, even when they’re driving home!

Cadbury sued for poor taste

07/28/2008

Three former taste testers for Parsippany-based Cadbury Adams USA are suing the company for injuries sustained when they tasted an experimental sweetener. They were sampling flavorings for products such as Trident gum and Certs mints when they tried a substance that burned their mouths and lips and made their hearts race …

Into every news column …

07/28/2008

Into every news column … a little sunshine should fall, at least once in a while. Two Consolidated Edison mechanics were clearing a manhole in Manhattan when they witnessed a pedestrian struck by a car. They moved their truck to block traffic and tended to the victim until help arrived …

Legally speaking, sheriff and deputies aren’t county employees

07/25/2008

Gary Edwards, Deputy Deborah Nelson and Deputy Anthony Smith arrived on the scene to find Billy Ray Cook crawling on his stomach in the street. Upon spotting the officers, Cook began yelling, “Please don’t let them shoot me.” Cook strenuously resisted being cuffed and shackled, so the officers shocked him with their Tasers. Unfortunately, this—combined with a massive quantity of cocaine in Cook’s system—killed him …

You could be personally liable for injuries under N.C. workers’ comp law

07/25/2008

On-the-job injuries generally are covered by the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act and the required workers’ compensation insurance. That means employers are not liable for negligence, and that employees receive benefits under the act whether or not their employers were negligent and whether or not the employees were contributorily negligent. But in certain cases the employer and its managers—as well as co-workers—can be liable for certain workplace injuries …

How employers can stick to their guns under the BSEPA

07/21/2008

Georgia’s Business Security and Employee Privacy Act (BSEPA) took effect July 1, 2008. The law expands employees’ rights to transport lawfully registered firearms in their vehicles even if they are traveling to work. The law will not turn the workplace into shooting galleries, but it will limit employers’ rights to search employees’ vehicles …

Are employee assistance programs required?

07/18/2008

Q. I understand that many companies offer employee assistance programs (EAPs) as an added benefit for employees who may have drug or alcohol abuse problems. Are we required by law to do so? …