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Category: Premises Liability

The High Death Rate for Sawmill Workers Is Driven by Preventable Accidents

Woodworking has come a long way since the days of waterwheels and flumes. Centuries of technological advancement have improved efficiency, sustainability, cleanliness, and at least in theory, safety. Yet the lumber industry remains one of the most dangerous in the U.S. Modern machines can cut about as many boards in an hour as an antique sawmill could in a day, without needing a worker to place their hands repeatedly near the sawblade, as they once would have. These machines are still q...

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport Can Be Hazardous for Workers as Well as Guests

As this blog has noted many a time before, the most dangerous part of flying in and out of Atlanta is what happens on the ground. Simply walking through Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is far more likely to result in serious injury than the flight itself. From escalator accidents and shuttle bus crashes, to Plane Train brake issues, questionable COVID procedures, and children falling down luggage chutes, we’ve covered plenty of the hazards that travelers face in the largest airpor...

Landlords Are Responsible for Preventing Fire Deaths, Even in Case of Arson

There’s a popular myth that landlords are never legally responsible for any damage caused by arson. Even people who have never heard this myth repeated will often assume that, if an individual criminal can be blamed for the fire, then the property owner can’t be. This is not true. The reason is fairly simple: landlords have a duty to take all reasonable steps to prevent people from being harmed by fire on their properties, and preventing fires from starting is only part of that task. ...

Forklift Safety Is Still a Serious Issue for Big Box Stores

Jobs that involve using forklifts, or even being near them, carry abnormally high risks of death and catastrophic injury. This isn’t news. It’s been understood for decades. Yet very little progress has been made toward better protecting forklift operators and their coworkers. In the year 2020, there were 78 fatal forklift accidents and 7,290 nonfatal forklift injuries in the U.S. Those numbers are quite average, dating back to at least 2011. The changes that swept many industries in 2020, ...

MARTA May Finally Be Forced to Make Real Safety Improvements

This blog has reported time after time (after time, after time), on the MARTA transportation system’s abysmal safety record. After each new tragic incident, we’ve had to draw the frustrating conclusion that not much has changed, and not much appears to be changing. At long last, this pattern may have broken. Right now, the transit system is working with multiple private consulting firms, at a cost of $2.2 million, to overhaul its safety and incident-response policies. Of course, MART...

Apartment Complexes with Swimming Pools Must Follow Safety Codes

Swimming pools are understandably popular amenities, especially in warm states like Georgia. In the absence of solid safety precautions, however, they can also be extremely dangerous. Nearly 4,000 people die by drowning in the U.S every year, and children are especially vulnerable. Drowning is the top cause of death for children aged 1-4, with residential pools being the most common setting. According to the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, most of these drownings happen outside of d...

Extreme Sport Venues Are Not Exempt from Safety Obligations

Owners of all different kinds of properties are responsible for providing a safe environment for their guests. This does not mean that no one is ever allowed to host activities with an inherent element of risk, like racing and other extreme sports. However, venue owners must take all reasonable precautions to make sure these activities aren’t any more dangerous than they have to be. They also have a duty to warn their guests in detail about any risks that can’t be eliminated. The fact t...

Apartment Elevator Injuries

Apartment Building Landlords Are Responsible for Keeping Elevators Safe for Use Everything in life comes with risks; each individual should consider them carefully when deciding on their actions. Of course, some behaviors and activities involve significantly more risk than others. In general, riding an elevator isn’t something that tends to raise a red flag. Unless a building is on fire, using the elevator should never be dangerous, and most of the time it isn’t. Modern safety measures in...

Wood Pellet Plants Must Do Better at Keeping Workers Safe from Fire

Manufactured from plant matter recycled from other industries, wood pellets are an efficient, renewable fuel, and can also be used for pet bedding and a range of other applications. Unfortunately, the process of transforming plant waste into stable, convenient pellets involves exposure to sawdust, flammable chemicals, and heat-producing machinery. The procedure for making pellets safely is delicate and complex, and all too often, pellet mills don’t do what it takes to keep their workers sa...

Hartwell Speedway May Be Responsible for Recent Spectator Death and Injuries

Most of the risks associated with auto racing are confined to the track, and even the danger to the drivers has decreased over the years as racecar and racetrack designs have improved. However, due to the high speeds involved in the sport, racing accidents still produce enormous amounts of force. When this force is not well distributed and contained, it can pose a danger not just to the drivers but to the spectators as well. This is what happened at the Hartwell Speedway in Hart County on ...