December 3, 2025 The 2024 Injury Tracking Application (ITA) cycle marked a pivotal year for Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordkeeping and analytics. With expanded electronic reporting now yielding richer case-level detail for many large establishments in high-hazard industries, the public ITA data offers a sharper view of where incidents cluster, what types of cases are driving days away or restrictions, and how enforcement is being targeted.   This d

December 2, 2025 Sedgwick Claims Mgmt. Services v. Thompson, Fla. 1st DCA, No. 1D2023-0193, Sept. 3, 2025 In this matter of first impression, Florida’s First District Court of Appeal addressed whether Florida Statutes Section 440.25(4)(d) precludes  Daubert  challenges to Expert Medical Advisor (EMA) opinions. Put simply,  Daubert  requires that expert opinions result from an analysis of reliable facts, use of reliable principles and methods, and reliable application of those

December 1, 2025 “Reframing compliance training as a net positive empowers your team and fosters a culture where compliance is a facilitator of innovation.” - Madeline Reigh, PMP, RIMS-CRMP, Director of Enterprise Risk Managment at Mitratech   Beyond meeting regulatory requirements, compliance training for employees builds work environments where ethical choices are understood and valued.   In a KnowBe4 State of Employee Compliance Training Report, nearly half of the responde

November 26, 2025 Case File A worker had a preexisting knee problem that was asymptomatic, but the pain he experienced after a workplace injury meant that he had a viable workers' compensation claim for treatment. Simply Research subscribers have access to the full text of the decision.   Case Comas v. Bass Pro Group, LLC, No. 24-290 (W. Va. 11/12/25)   What Happened? A retail worker injured his left knee after he slipped and fell on a wet concrete loading dock at work. X-ray

November 25, 2025 As the workforce ages, the workers compensation industry faces a convergence of pressures that include rising claim severity and litigation pitting injury causation against preexisting conditions, with many disputes fueled by a familiar diagnostic flashpoint: magnetic resonance imaging.   Known as an MRI, the tool is effective at diagnosing musculoskeletal injuries and degenerative conditions, yet experts say the technology also introduces gray areas that ca

November 25, 2025 Higher reconstruction costs faced by the commercial property/casualty insurance industry are being driven more by rising labor costs than by materials, according to recent data and industry sources.   While material costs continue to rise because of inflation, and potentially tariffs, labor costs are increasing more steeply because of a supply/demand imbalance, especially among skilled trades such as electricians.   The demand for skilled trades drives up co

November 24, 2025 The new guidance grants employees and employers “transition relief” until Jan. 1 of the first calendar year after final rules are issued to determine if they fall under a category for exemptions.   The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service issued guidance Friday that will temporarily allow more workers to cash in on the “no tax on tips” and “no tax on overtime” provisions of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.   Under

November 24, 2025 Following the 2024 presidential election, prognosticators predicted that President Donald Trump’s second administration would usher in a significant increase in immigration enforcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Those predictions have proven accurate.   During the first Trump administration, ICE dramatically increased worksite enforcement. Between fiscal years 2017 and 2018, worksite enforcement investigations surged by 405%, accompan

November 24, 2025 For the 15th consecutive fiscal year, Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501) sits atop OSHA’s preliminary list of the 10 most frequently cited standards.   And the number of violations is “likely to grow” when the agency releases finalized data for fiscal year 2025 in the spring, said Eric Harbin, regional administrator for OSHA’s Dallas Region.   Harbin was onsite in September at the 2025 NSC Safety Congress & Expo in Denver to present the prelim

November 24, 2025 People can be resistant to change for any number of reasons: the need for familiarity and stability, 
a perceived loss of control, fear of failure, etc.   So, it’s not unusual for safety professionals to encounter pushback to a new rule or initiative – or even a change in personal protective equipment.   “One of the things I like to do to understand people is flip it around a little bit,” said Ron Gantt, vice president of environmental, health and safety at

November 21, 2025 Portland, OR — In response to seven worker deaths caused by heat-related illnesses in the state over a recent 11-year period, the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences has issued a hazard alert.   The alert cites National Safety Council data showing that, in the United States, 442 workers died from heat-related illnesses between 2013 and 2023. It also details three of the worker deaths in the state over that span.   The institute recommends employ