Glossary of Workplace Injury Law Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #

Click on the first letter of the word from the list above to go to the appropriate section of the glossary. Contact us if you would like more information about personal injury law terms.

Unintentional injury: Preferred term for accidental injury in the public health community. It refers to the result of an accident.

Unprotected sides and edges: Any side or edge (except at entrances to points of access) of a walking/working surface, e.g., floor, roof, ramp, or runway where there is no wall or guardrail system at least 39 inches (1.0 m) high.

Uprights: The vertical members of a trench shoring system placed in contact with the earth and usually positioned so that individual members do not contact each other.

Unsafe Act: The actions of a person in a manner which vary from the accepted or legislated safe practice and create a hazard to either themselves, another person, or equipment.

Unsafe Condition: A condition in which something exists that varies from a normal accepted safe condition and, if not corrected, could cause injury, death, or property damage.

Unstable objects: Items whose strength, configuration, or lack of stability may allow them to become dislocated and shift and therefore may not properly support the loads imposed on them. Unstable objects do not constitute a safe base support for scaffolds, platforms, or employees. Examples include, but are not limited to, barrels, boxes, loose bricks, and concrete blocks.

Utilization review: The process used by insurance companies to decide whether to authorize and pay for treatment recommended by your treating physician or another doctor.

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