Contra Costa County and Tri-Valley Workers' Compensation Blog

Valley Fever time is around the corner. Construction and agricultural workers in California are at higher risk of becoming infected with the Coccidioides fungus from June through November. The spores from the fungus live in the dirt but become airborne when the soil is disturbed. A significant number of workers' compensation claims each year involve Valley Fever cases.

Once the fungus spores are airborne, outdoor workers breathe them in and could develop Valley Fever. This disease typically affects the lungs, but other body parts could be infected, and could occasionally be fatal. The California Department of Public Health reported over 9,000 cases in 2019, an increase of over 1,000 from the 2018 reported cases of Valley Fever.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health prescribes strict safety regulations for all industries. Employers must provide workplaces that are free of known hazards. Safety standards include the safe operation of company vehicles. Safety training for vehicle operators is crucial, and all workers must receive training on safely sharing their workplace with vehicles. A significant number of workers' compensation claims involve injuries and fatalities caused by negligent drivers.

Cal/OSHA has launched an investigation into the death of an agricultural worker on the property of a food producer in Northern California. The California Highway Patrol reported that a truck operator backed up without checking for workers behind the vehicle. The worker who was struck succumbed to his injuries before he could be transported to a hospital.

Employees in all industries in California must deal with safety hazards. Workers' compensation claims show that each occupation poses unique safety risks. Workers in several fields encounter the dangers posed by dogs every day. Data kept by the American Veterinary Medical Association indicates that an estimated 77 million dogs live in just over 48 million homes nationwide.

Employees at risk include postal workers, delivery workers, home maintenance workers and outdoor workers like landscapers may all come face-to-face with dogs on any given day. The size of the dog does not indicate the level of danger it poses. The National Safety Council has data that shows an increase of 2,850 in nonfatal dog-related injuries in the private sector between 2012 and 2018.

Some of the most dangerous work environments in California are industrial facilities where workers risk making contact with moving parts of machines and equipment. A significant number of workers' compensation claims involve amputation injuries that were caused by the lack of lockout/tagout devices or the lack of safety training and supervision. Even with all the necessary LOTO equipment, many fingers or other body parts have been lost because workers became complacent.

Complacency and fatigue increase injury risk significantly. Workers must never do repairs or maintenance, clear blockages, or clean equipment with moving parts before locking the machine out and tagging it to warn co-workers not to activate it. Unfortunately, workers who have been exposed to these hazards for many years without suffering injuries might be complacent. They could think that clearing a jam or doing a quick repair would need no more than a minute or two -- and following the LOTO safety standards would be a waste of time. However, taking shortcuts to save a few minutes could have life-changing consequences.