Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Friday signed a bill legalizing medical marijuana, making the state the 38th in the U.S. to allow doctors to recommend the alternative treatment. S.B. 47 applies to patients with cancer, severe pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms or spasticity, chronic nausea or cyclical vomiting, post-traumatic stress disorder or any other …
Kentucky legalizes medical marijuana | Business Insurance Read More »
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a Tennessee-based roofing contractor following the death of an employee who fell through a skylight at a Florida airport hangar. OSHA said Friday it cited Morrison, Tennessee-based Porter Roofing Contractors Inc. for four serious violations and proposed $53,797 in penalties in connection with the Oct. 25, …
Tennessee roofing company cited after worker’s fatal fall through skylight Read More »
Lawmakers in several states are seeking to expand workers compensation cancer presumptions for firefighters, pointing to research linking firefighting activities with more types of cancer, and the latency period for cancer development. Since the beginning of 2023, numerous states filed legislation that would either expand the types of cancers considered presumptive occupational injuries for first …
First responder comp cancer presumptions set to expand as more states consider reforms Read More »
Volunteer firefighters who get injured or sick on the job were not always afforded the same types of workers compensation benefits as their paid counterparts, but much has changed over the years with many states now recognizing presumptive occupational injuries for volunteers. Comp presumptions still vary by state, however, and not everything is created equal …
Volunteer firefighters question consistency of coverage Read More »
Rebutting firefighter cancer presumptions can be difficult for employers, many of which are self-insured and face difficulties in proving toxic exposures did not cause a firefighter’s cancer. In early March, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal in Louisiana determined that the state’s Office of Worker’s Compensation was wrong to dismiss a claim by a veteran …
As the workers compensation industry takes strides to limit opioid prescriptions and avoid invasive surgeries, hands-on physical medicine is getting more attention than ever. Physical medicine — an umbrella term for physical therapy and other services that aim to rehabilitate injured workers — is increasingly seen as an early investment in patient care, with outcomes …
The number of injured workers self-reporting anxiety and depression jumped “significantly” between 2019 and 2020 and had not yet returned to pre-pandemic rates in 2022, according to an industry trends report released in February by MedRisk LLC. In 2019, 24.4% of injured workers reported they had anxiety, 19.8% reported depression, and 14.8% reported symptoms of …
Therapists at forefront of connecting patients’ physical, mental wellness Read More »
An unlicensed New York labor broker pleaded guilty Wednesday to two felony counts of insurance fraud and fraudulent practices in connection with a scheme to evade paying workers compensation insurance premiums. Salvador Almonte Jr. engaged in what prosecutors called an “extensive insurance fraud scheme” that resulted in the evasion of more than $1 million in …
Unlicensed labor broker pleads guilty to comp insurance fraud Read More »
In line with updated public health guidance from the Oregon Health Authority, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division announced Thursday that it will rescind its COVID-19 safety requirements for all workplaces and employer-provided housing on Monday. Yet in order to rescind the rules, Oregon OSHA says it must first implement a temporary rule to …
Oregon OSHA dials back COVID protection requirements Read More »
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Thursday announced it cited a Florida framing contractor over safety violations, marking the sixth time since 2021 that the company has faced similar allegations. OSHA said it proposed $82,500 in penalties against Fort Walton Beach, Florida-based Panhandle Guest Design Inc. after citing the company for two repeat violations …
Florida framing contractor again cited for workplace safety violations Read More »