Manalapan New Jersey Legal Blog

A ladder is one of many tools you can use at work to improve efficiency and enhance safety. However, the use of a ladder can also result in a serious accident, often by making the smallest of mistakes.

Here are five simple tips you can follow to help prevent a ladder accident at work in Manalapan:

• Don't set the ladder in a high traffic area: For example, setting a ladder in close proximity to an entry door or vehicular traffic increases the likelihood of someone or something knocking it down.
• Inspect the ladder before use: If you find any defects or damage, such as cracks or rust, set the ladder aside and use another one for the meantime. If the ladder can't be repaired, dispose of it safely.
• Maintain three points of contact: This helps you keep your balance, as you'll always have one hand and two feet or two hands and one foot on the ladder. If you only have two points of contact, there's a greater chance of losing your balance and falling to the ground.
• Don't carry a heavy load up or down the ladder: It's tempting to do this, especially if you're in a hurry, but the heavier the load, the greater chance it'll pull you away from the ladder.
• Watch for the final step: Many ladder accidents occur near the ground, such as if you think you're on the last step but you're actually a rung or two above it. Knowing where you're at on the ladder at all times will help keep you safe.

Drivers in New Jersey who are wary about autonomous vehicles should know about a report from the Rand Corporation. It says that automakers and autonomous vehicle developers are rushing to introduce self-driving cars, neglecting safety in the process. Road testing is essential, but it may require millions or even billions of miles before such cars are deemed to be reliable in preventing crashes.

Of all the companies that are developing self-driving car technology, Waymo has driven the most miles, testing its vehicles for over 10 million miles in the real world and for 7 billion miles on virtual roads through its in-house simulation technology. However, the Rand report states that even this is not enough; it may take decades or centuries for cars to be sufficiently tested.

New Jersey Tesla owners may be concerned to learn that the automaker's California production plant racked up three times more federal workplace safety violations over a five-year period than its top 10 competitors combined. The information was reported by Forbes.

According to the news outlet, Tesla's Fremont plant employs approximately 15,000 workers and contractors to make its electric vehicles. That is more workers than any other automaker employs in a single U.S.-based facility. It has also translated into significantly more safety violations than have been reported at any other plant. Between 2014 and 2018, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued 54 violations at the Fremont plant. In comparison, the automaker with the second most violations, Nissan, received just five violations at its Tennessee plant over the same period of time.

It's an ongoing challenge to ensure that temporary contracted workers receive appropriate protection from workplace accidents, according to OSHA and many safety advocates. Too often, New Jersey companies view temps as somehow separate from the rest of the workforce. Employers that view contract workers in this light may not treat all workers with adequate respect. For example, companies may ask temp workers to engage in unsafe activities deemed beneath full-time employees. In 2016 alone, the U.S. witnessed over 850 workplace fatalities that involved contracted employees. Experts estimate that contract worker deaths account for more than 15 percent of American workplace fatalities.

Because temp workers are newer to their jobs, they generally have less familiarity with work equipment and potential safety hazards. For a number of reasons, temp workers may not feel empowered to speak out when faced with unsafe situations.