It is the responsibility of your employer to provide a workplace that is free from hazards and unsafe conditions. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 requires employers to maintain a workplace that is free of dangerous health and safety conditions that can result in illness, injury, or death and grants employees several important rights if violations occur.
But, is your workplace safe? Some signs that could indicate safety problems in the workplace include:
- Lack of leadership – workers are not given proper safety training; supervisors are not ensuring that safety protocols are being followed
- Lack of safety equipment – workers have not been provided with adequate safety equipment such as goggles, helmets, gloves
- Poorly maintained equipment — broken or malfunctioning equipment is not repaired or removed from the workplace
- Health problems — persistent respiratory issues and headaches could indicate unsafe environmental conditions from chemicals, gas leaks, radiation, etc.
- Physical conditions of the workplace — poor lighting, wet, slippery, and uneven floors represent potentially dangerous conditions
- Injured employees — too many injuries are occurring on a regular basis
Your employer has a duty to take the proper actions necessary to remedy any and all issues to prevent accidents and provide a safe working environment. If you have been injured on the job, you are entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Obtaining early legal representation can be critical to the success of the claims process.
Hidden danger
While some hazards and unsafe workplace conditions are easier to assess such as poorly maintained and faulty equipment, inadequate training procedures, or a lack of safety equipment, there are less obvious, hidden dangers at work that are often overlooked and can result in workplace injuries. These include clutter, electrical and extension cords, poor air quality, and improper stacking and storage.
In addition, there are two situations where an employer’s failure to provide a safe workplace that subsequently results in an injury provides the employee with greatly increased payments in the nature of a penalty. One such situation occurs when the guard on a power press is removed or not properly installed by the employer, thus causing an injury which allows the employee to sue the employer in civil court.
A second situation occurs when the injury is the result of a “serious and willful” act or omission on the part of the employer to provide a safe workplace.
It’s very important to be aware of your surroundings so you know how to tell if your workplace is safe. If you become aware of workplace safety hazards or risks, you need to inform your employer or supervisor. They are legally obligated to remedy the conditions.
If you’re injured on the job as a result of these violations, you can file a claim for worker’s compensation and may have legal grounds to sue for negligence on the part of your employer.
Obvious violations
Workplace safety should be a top priority in any business or industry. A safe workplace environment is a more productive one. Unfortunately, workplace safety violations often result in employee injuries and deaths. Some of the more common safety hazards include trip and fall accidents that can result from cleanliness issues in the work environment, visibility hazards for drivers working with heavy machinery, poor equipment maintenance, lack of proper respiratory protection, and hazard communication.
If you’ve been injured in the workplace as the result of a workplace safety violation by your employer, you are entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits. The attorneys at Gold Country Workers’ Comp Center have years of experience litigating workers’ comp and disability cases. Kim LaValley and staff are familiar with every step of the process of filing a workers’ comp claim and will make sure that you receive any and all compensation to which you are entitled.
Contact our office to schedule a free consultation today.
