Harrisburg Workers' Compensation Law Blog

Even though a knee sprain isn't the most serious injury, it can cause pain and discomfort for an extended period of time. With this, you may find it difficult to live the life you've become accustomed to.

If you suffer a knee sprain on the job, such as the result of a slip-and-fall accident, report the injury to your employer and then seek immediate medical attention. Your doctor will discuss a variety of treatment options, including:

• Rest: Resting your knee gives it the time necessary to recover, without a setback.
• Pain medication: An over-the-counter pain reliever may be necessary, especially in the days following the accident.
• Ice: Ice therapy can help reduce pain and swelling, thus speeding up your recovery.
• Immobilization: Depending on the severity, you may need to wear a brace to immobilize your knee.
• Physical therapy: When the time comes, your doctor may suggest physical therapy. This is used to help you regain range of motion, while also preventing future injury.
• Surgery: It's not typically required, but if there's knee damage in addition to the sprain, it may be something your doctor wants to explore.

In May of 2015, federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulators fined the owner of a Montgomeryville factory, Lloyd Industries, $822,000 for repeated workplace safety violations.

About 10 months before those fines were imposed, a 21-year-old worker at the factory severed portions of several fingers when the steel-bending press he was using malfunctioned. After OSHA levied the fines against the factory's owner, the owner apparently took his frustrations with OSHA out on the victim, his family and his co-workers.

With warmer weather finally here to stay in Pennsylvania, many people will pull their motorcycles out of their garages and hit the open road. If this sounds familiar, there's no better time than now to focus on the steps you can take to protect yourself while riding.

Here are five motorcycle safety tips that will give you peace of mind:

• Always wear the appropriate safety gear: This starts with a helmet, but it doesn't stop there. You can also wear riding boots, gloves and other safety equipment to protect yourself in the event of an accident.
• Follow the rules of the road: Just the same as motor vehicles, it's critical to follow the rules of the road, such as stop signs, traffic lights and the speed limit. Any violation increases your risk of an accident.
• Regularly inspect your motorcycle: From the brakes to the mirrors, you never know when something will break on your bike. Conducting regular inspections allows you to pinpoint any issues that could cause trouble on the road.
• Watch for changing weather: Weather conditions can change on a dime, so you must prepare for everything. For example, if heavy rain moves into the area, it will change the way you ride.
• Follow defensive driving tips: Motorcyclists have a bad reputation for being too aggressive. Don't go down this path, but instead ride defensively. There are many ways to do so, such as obeying the speed limit, avoiding a driver's blind spot, using turn signals when changing lanes and watching for turning vehicles.

An auto shop and tow yard employee was seriously injured when a Lebanon County building he was working in suddenly caught on fire late in the evening on May 14. The blaze got underway at Weaver's Wrecking Yard, located on Homestead Road in East Hanover Township just before 11:45 p.m. that day.

Firefighters with the Northern Lebanon Fire and Emergency Services who were dispatched to the scene found the roof and rear door of the garage ablaze when they first arrived at the tow yard. They later found out that the building housed various flammable chemicals needed to complete auto repairs as well as car parts and welding equipment.