Five Things You Need to Know: 12/10, Monday Edition

Sarasota, FL (WorkersCompensation.com) -

1) NY: Google Employee Found Dead in Chelsea Office

Scott Krulcik, a 22-year-old Google employee and former wilderness instructor, was found dead at the internet search engine giant’s Chelsea location on Friday, according to the TimesUnion. So far, the cause of death hasn’t been deemed “suspicious,” and the medical examiner’s office will determine what happened. “…Krulcik's Linkedin page says he began working at Google in August after serving as an intern in the summer of 2017,” per the article. Google wasn’t available for comment as of press time.

2) NJ Amazon Fulfillment Center Robot Makes Mistake with Bear Spray, Sends Employees to the Hospital

Concentrated Capsaicin, an ingredient in bear spray, was released into the air at an Amazon fulfillment warehouse in Robbinsville last week, after a robot accidentally set it off, writes Soo Youn of ABC News. 24 employees were sent to the hospital due to chemical exposure.  “…The two dozen workers were treated at five local hospitals, Robbinsville Township communications and public information officer John Nalbone told ABC News. One was in critical condition while 30 additional workers were treated at the scene,” per the article. According to WABC, all workers should have been released from the hospital 24 hours after the accident. An Amazon spokesperson said employee safety is their primary focus, and workers were taken to another designated area when the accident occurred. For more details on this topic, check back to our Featured News section as more information becomes available. 

3) Missed Out on NWCDC? Didn’t Make it to Every Session You Wanted? No Problem.

NWCDC ended on Friday, cashing in after a week of educational sessions and networking. Click here to catch up on some of the happenings, and check back for more in-depth coverage on topics that seemed to really engage attendees, including marijuana and work comp, opioid crisis litigation, policy perspectives for 2019, the catastrophic claims process, and gearing our industry vocabulary to a more positive outlook. (Think what injured workers CAN do after an accident on the job, not just what they CAN’T DO.)

4) IL: Property Owner Requests More than $50G After an Alleged Accident on the Job

Property Owner Stephen Harris of Belleville has filed a lawsuit against Germantown Seamless Guttering Inc., alleging the subcontractor did not provide a safe workplace, writes Angelica Saylo Pilo of the Madison-St. Clair Record. “…the plaintiff alleges that on March 15, he was walking on the premises when he was hit in the right eye by a tube of caulk that fell to the ground,” per the article. According to the lawsuit, a “retinal detachment” occurred in one of his eyes. Harris requests more than $50G in monetary damages.

5) TX: Alleged Press Machine Accident Leads to Lawsuit Against Dry Cleaner Co.

Houston resident Martha Navarro has filed a suit against MC Drycleaners Corp., alleging the company didn’t provide a safe workplace, writes John Suayan of the Southeast Texas Record. “…Navarro alleges that she was operating a press machine on Dec. 9, 2016 ‘when it suddenly fell on her,’” per the article. She requests monetary damages at an “unspecified” amount, and a jury trial.

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