March 3, 2026 LAKE WORTH, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Land O’ Lakes-based petroleum tank services contractor for exposing workers to chemical and respiratory hazards after an employee was fatally exposed to benzene and toluene when they entered a fuel storage tank at a Lake Worth worksite in July 2025. Investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited PCE Petroleum Contractors Enterprises Inc. with 12 serious violatio

March 2, 2026 Contractors – of all tiers – are often surprised to learn they may be considered a “ special employer ” of individuals who actually work for independent third parties—such as temporary staffing agencies or equipment rental companies—on their projects. Even more surprising, contractors (including owners who self-perform) can be held primarily responsible for the negligent acts or omissions of these third-party workers because of this “ special employer ” status.

March 1, 2026 Workers’ compensation judges may consider a variety of factors when determining whether a claimant is permanently disabled. A case involving a worker injured operating a front-end loader highlights the type of factors that come into play. In Louisiana, those factors should also dictate whether or how an employer decides to challenge a WCJ's finding. The 58-year-old claimant was injured when the front-end loader she was operating struck concrete and jolted her, i

March 1, 2026 As older workers remain in or reenter the labor force, the workers compensation industry is zeroing in on an area where claims tend to be more severe, medically complex and costly. “Our workers compensation data clearly show that the percentage of the workforce that is older is growing,” said Rich Ives, Hartford, Connecticut-based senior vice president of business insurance claim for Travelers. “That comes with favorable impacts — lower injury frequency — and un

February 27, 2026 For more than a decade, insurance companies and physician groups have battled it out over the true meaning of Florida statutes: Are doctors considered pharmacists, allowed to dispense medications to injured workers, often at a higher price? A Florida appeals court this week may have finally answered that question, giving a multimillion-dollar win to employers and carriers that have spent years trying to undo state workers’ compensation regulations that have

February 27, 2026 Washington — OSHA has released a new version of its poster informing workers of their rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 , as part of the agency’s “OSHA Cares” initiative. The Job Safety and Health Workplace Poster must be displayed in the workplace where workers can easily see it, per regulation 1903.2 . OSHA says employers can use this version, which is available for free, or continue using an older version. For employers under

February 26, 2026 MIAMI – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a concrete manufacturer for exposing workers to hazards after an employee suffered fatal injuries after entering the unprotected area of a concrete block cubing machine in July 2025. The department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Adonel Concrete Corp. – operating as Adonel Block Manufacturing Corp. – with nine serious violations for inadequate machine guarding, and for failing to ensure

February 23, 2026 In 2023, 725 workers were killed after a fall to a lower level, according to Injury Facts – an online statistical database managed by the National Safety Council. Falls to a lower level, which includes ladder-related falls, is the third leading “fatal workplace event.” Are your workers properly trained in ladder safety? March is Ladder Safety Month , so make ladder safety the focus of your next safety meeting. Remind workers that when they’re selecting a la

February 23, 2026 How can workplaces reduce confusion and misinformation during emergencies through standardized response communication? The worst time to develop an emergency action plan is during an actual emergency. There’s simply no replacement for pre-planning. Most employers know this but often don’t know where to start. The truth is that an EAP can be as simple or as in-depth as the amount of time and resources you want to invest. For anyone tasked with the health an

February 20, 2026 Takeaways Current work authorization remains valid for now. Employers should update Form I-9s with specific notations according to USCIS/E-Verify guidance (expiration “03-15-2026” and “as per court order”). Employers should handle E-Verify consistently and use the 03.15.26 date from the I-9 in E-Verify cases. Status of Haiti TPS Work Authorization A federal court in the D.C. District has stayed the planned termination of Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status (

February 19, 2026 Four construction workers were hospitalized after a scaffolding collapse in West Palm Beach Thursday morning, according to police. A little after 7 a.m., West Palm Beach Police and Fire Rescue responded to the 300 block of Lakeview Avenue, where they found that construction scaffolding had collapsed, injuring four workers, police said in a news release. Paramedics took all four workers to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries. The collapse took pl