Category Archives: Work Place Health & Safety

There are so many reasons why its important to keep a clean workplace. It improves worker morale, health, reduces safety concerns, it boosts the reputation of the company too. It might not be a fun job to keep a business clean, especially if its a large one and one that produces a lot of waste however, there simply is no denying it, it has to get done.

It may come as a surprise to you that how you clean your workplace floor might actually be doing your team harm. Obviously, its not intentional, however, if the company is using strong commercial floor cleaners to get the job done then these may be inadvertently doing harm to the people who work there. For example, mopping the floor with bleach has been shown to drastically and dangerously increase the levels of chlorine gas in the air. Fresh air is vital for survival but, it goes deeper than that.

Most of the time the gas is barely noticeable which means that it is tolerable. Workers are able to carry on working in the presence of the gas due to it not being too obvious. Just because its not so obvious does not mean that it is doing no harm. On the contrary actually. Its the fact that it is able to go unnoticed that it is dangerous because everyone carries on as they normally would while breathing in the gas. Besides the dangers that long-term exposure to chlorine gas can cause, there are also immediate concerns that need to be taken into consideration. Having polluted air inside your workplace is going to significantly drop worker productivity and morale.

When floors are cleaned using cleaning agents like bleach, the bleach is not only limited to reacting on the floor surface. The bleach also reacts with the air that we breathe therefore contaminating it. The best way to avoid these types of situations is to completely avoid using dangerous chemicals to clean the floor. Understandably, there are some big messes that require a very strong solution however, it does not have to be bleach.

There do exist strong and nontoxic soaps and detergents that do not give off and off-gasses. When these cleaners are combined with the power of microfiber, their cleaning powers are amplified. Microfiber mops are able to clean in such a way that regular mops like cotton simply cannot and by utilizing microfibers cleaning power to clean floors, one can do away with harmful chemicals altogether.

When you get injured while on the job, one of the smartest things you can do is file a workers compensation claim. However, while many people automatically assume their claims will be approved, a surprising number of claims are denied for a variety of reasons. When this happens, not only can it create an awkward situation between you and your employer, but also a financial hardship for you if your injuries will have you missing weeks or months of work. Because of this, it’s always best to consult a workers compensation attorney prior to filing a workers compensation claim. At the Law Offices of Beninato & Matrafajlo, we will help to get the full extent of the compensation that you deserve and assist you in complex workers compensation claim process.

To ensure your claim will have a better chance of being approved, here are five reasons why many of these claims are denied.

Nobody Witnessed Your Injury

If you have the misfortune of being injured on the job without having any witnesses, there’s a good chance your claim will be denied. However, you should still immediately report the injury to your supervisor and co-workers, and make sure you give the same version of events to everyone with whom you talk. This is especially important when speaking with a workers comp lawyer, since giving multiple versions of what happened can greatly jeopardize your case.

Failing to Immediately Report the Injury

If you don’t immediately report your injury, your supervisors and the workers comp insurers will assume you weren’t really hurt. In addition to this, most states only give you one week to file your report, so a delay can automatically disqualify you from filing a workers compensation claim.

You Test Positive for Drugs or Alcohol

If after you are injured you test positive for drugs or alcohol, almost all workers comp insurers will deny your claim. And along with this, your employer may fire you for violating company policies.

The Claim is Filed After You Are Fired

If you have been injured on the job but fail to file a claim until after you have been fired or laid off from your position, you have a slim chance of having your claim approved. When you file a claim after being fired or laid off, the insurer will assume you are doing so simply out of revenge. To keep this from happening, always consult a workers compensation attorney to ensure your legal rights will be protected.

Refusing to Sign Medical Authorizations

Although you are not legally obligated to sign a medical authorization to allow insurers to obtain your medical records, failing to do so can greatly jeopardize your case. In these situations, insurers prefer to obtain records on their own, which lets them m

ake sure they have all necessary records, and are not given ones that have been carefully selected by the injured employee. If you have any questions about this, speak with a workers compensation attorney.

Hire an Attorney

Because workers compensation cases are so complex, always hire an experienced workers comp lawyer as soon as possible after your injury. By doing so, you’ll give yourself the best possible chance of winning your case. To protect your legal rights and get the full extent of the compensation that you deserve contact the Law Offices of Beninato & Matrafajlo.