Contra Costa County and Tri-Valley Workers' Compensation Blog

Fatigue is a life-threatening occupational hazard faced by workers nationwide, including California. Many workers' compensation claims are filed due to injuries and even deaths caused by the lack of sleep. Not only is sufficient sleep necessary for overall good health, but also alertness and clear thinking. Sleep deprivation is the primary cause of fatigue, and in many cases, shift work is to blame.

Operators of machines and equipment in industrial and manufacturing facilities and those on construction sites are at a higher risk than most, along with commercial vehicle drivers. Fatigue compromises reaction times and the ability to maintain focus, which often leads to work errors and higher rates of accidents and injuries. Safety authorities say sleep deprivation has the same effect as alcohol, and workers who have been without sleep for 24 hours are affected in the same way as people with a blood alcohol content higher than .08.

Roof workers in California and elsewhere who apply hot asphalt to roofs are exposed to multiple occupational illnesses. The fumes produced during the application process can irritate the skin, eyes, throat and nose, and cause headache, nausea, drowsiness and fatigue. Affected roofers might have questions about their eligibility for workers' compensation, especially if they develop progressive lung diseases that might only become evident after long-term exposure.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, along with other authorities, are working to find ways to reduce the level of exposure to asphalt fumes. The mentioned effects are mostly transient and mild, but studies have indicated the possibility that long-term exposure could increase the risk of lung cancer. However, further studies are underway to determine whether lung damage is linked to the asphalt fumes or perhaps due to smoking or exposure to asbestos or coal tar instead.

Firefighting is a profession that comes with inherent risks. Firefighters have to put themselves in very dangerous situations so that they can bring others to safety. This is stressful from a psychological perspective, but the nature of firefighting also puts stresses on the body. One of the main reasons for this is because firefighters are often exposed to dangerous fumes.

Some of the chemicals that firefighters are often exposed to are known carcinogens, and this means that firefighters have a higher risk of developing cancer than the population as a whole. If a firefighter or a former firefighter is diagnosed with cancer, they may be able to claim workers' compensation as a result.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health will investigate an incident that caused the death of a waste collection truck operator. The wife of the deceased worker says her husband reported a malfunctioning hydraulic mechanism on the truck several times, but nothing was done about it. If this proves to be the case, she might have grounds to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the employer, along with a workers' compensation claim.

Reportedly, the truck operator was crushed against the truck's body by the mechanical arm that dumps the trash into the hopper. The video surveillance camera of a nearby home recorded the incident shortly after 3:30 p.m. on a recent Monday. A passerby who suspected that something was wrong called 911 almost an hour later and deputies arrived in response at 4:26 p.m.