On January 1, 2020, 255 new laws took effect in Illinois in the areas of transportation, agriculture, crime, business, insurance, state and local government, veterans, labor, energy, education, public safety, health, and more. It’s likely that you or someone you know will be affected in some way by one or more of these changes. While we won’t be going over all 255 laws, we will break down some of the laws that impact the greatest number of people in the state. Let’s start by taking a look at how Illinois is attempting to make roadways safer.

You know what cold feels like. The longer you’re outside, the more your body responds to the frigid temperatures and tries to retain its heat. You may experience muscle shivers, the hair on your skin rising, and uncontrollable teeth chattering. Hopefully, when you experience that, you can get to a warmer location quickly. But what happens when you have to work in those conditions, and you’re stuck outside? If you don’t warm up soon enough, you could develop frostbite.

If you’re working in extremely cold temperatures and you sustain frostbite, you may have the right to file a workers’ compensation claim to seek recovery for your injuries and any time away from work. Frostbite is often a much more serious condition than people realize, and it needs to be treated quickly and efficiently to avoid any long-term damage.

Schweickert, Ganassin, Krzak Rundio, LLP is pleased to announce that Partner, Michael S. Krzak has been recognized in the 26th Edition of The Best Lawyers In America by his peers for his exceptional work in the practice of Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. This is the third consecutive year that Michael has received this honor.

“Inclusion in Best Lawyers is based on a rigorous peer-review survey comprising more than 8.2 million confidential evaluations by top attorneys. Our founding principle remains unchanged since 1983 and forms the basis of our transparent methodology: The best lawyers know who the best lawyers are.”

Here’s why every loading dock should have a truck restraint:

The average forklift weighs 9,000 pounds, three times that of a car. Failing to prioritize safety can kill dock workers if at a busy warehouse the truck disengages from the dock and the forklift tumbles into the gap.

Vehicle restraint can prevent injuries on loading docks by securing trucks to docks and is among the safety features recommended by EHS Today, an occupational safety and health magazine.

Operating power tools and other heavy equipment can gradually cause wear and tear on the body. Illinois construction workers — as well as those who work in various other industries — know this too well. Whole-body vibrations from operating equipment can lead to a multitude of health problems, especially to the hands and limbs.

A Safety + Health Magazine article scrutinizes one of the most common health problems, known as hand-arm vibration syndrome. This condition is defined by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as “a collective term for vibration-induced neurological, vascular and musculoskeletal disorders in the hand-arm system.”

About 3:30 p.m. on April 27 on Mercer Street in Seattle:

• 19-year-old Sarah Wong and 71-year-old Alan Justad were sitting in their cars in traffic.
• Nine stories over their heads, ironworkers Andrew Yoder, 31, and Travis Corbet, 33, were dismantling a crane.
• All four were killed when the crane collapsed. Another four people on the street were injured.

The human body is a truly incredible feat of nature. We are able to lift large amounts of weight repeatedly and are able to build up our endurance to the point where we can do this over extended periods of time.

The human body isn’t invincible, however. If we do not exercise proper technique and posture when performing physical activities, the human body can break down over time, leading to injuries and health problems that can shorten our quality of life.

For people who work in manufacturing, sitting at a workstation for many hours at a time, good posture is of the utmost importance.

Shame and fear of being judged make many Americans less likely to take off time from work for mental health issues than for physical ailments, a Harris Poll survey said.

Those who work in construction, manufacturing, and other industrial sectors often operate or work around heavy mobile equipment, such as forklifts and cranes.

Accidents involving large equipment can be prevented by inspecting and fixing mechanical defects, practicing safety measures when operating the machinery, and ensuring that equipment is completely turned off when not in use.

Some occupations require strenuous physical movements: lifting, pushing, pulling, and reaching. If you work in construction, manufacturing, or landscaping, exertion may simply be part of your job. In other occupations that require only some physical movements, workers may overexert themselves to get ahead or move up.

While many employees strive to be safe at work, little consideration is often given to their physical well-being. In fact, according to the National Safety Council (NSC), overexertion is responsible for 35 percent of all work-related injuries and the culprit behind the majority of workers’ compensation claims.