Thanks to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, every job has guidelines to ensure that employees are protected from hazardous environments or safety equipment in disrepair. To make sure your workplace meets OSHA guidelines, consider some of the common signs of an unsafe work environment and learn about OSHA penalties and shutdowns so you can respond swiftly, avoid hazards, and keep your employees safe.
Safety Training
While some work environments are safer than others, you should always develop protocols and training so that employees know what to do in the event of an emergency or injury. This training could include evacuation procedures during a fire or proper training using heavy equipment. You should also show your employees how to use all personal protective equipment, and ensure all workers learn about potential environmental hazards. Such aspects come under workplace accidents and safety, therefore, the sufferer has complete right to hire Lewis & Castagliola lawyers and get the legit claim for the losses suffered. The deserving claim depends on the severity of injury survived.
Hostile Environment
Most people think of physical injuries from falls or natural dangers, but an unsafe workplace could result from the actions of other employees. Hostile work environments can include physical fights or emotional and verbal abuse. You should immediately address tensions and problems between employees. You may have to take a wider look at your employees’ circumstances to see if anything is causing stress. For example, overworking can exhaust employees and negatively impact their tolerance and patience.
Missing Equipment
You must ensure you provide enough safety equipment for all of your employees. In construction or other manual labor fields, this could include guard rails to avoid falls, respirators and cartridges for unhealthy air qualities, or safety harnesses when working in confined spaces. If you fail to provide safety equipment, you will violate OSHA guidelines, so you must invest in the equipment immediately.
OSHA Violations
You should know that OSHA guidelines are not recommendations, but established best practices you must legally follow. Failing to do so will result in fines and other legal ramifications. Make sure you take care of the signs of an unsafe work environment to protect your employees and your business.
The Bottom Line
Unsafe working conditions most often lead to accidental injuries. In such instances, unsuspecting workers often face the brunt of poor working conditions. This might lead to everything from light injuries to death. In such instances, workers need to ensure that they are working with the best personal injury lawyers to ensure that they get their compensation covered. You can click here for more information.
