The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a government agency focused on workplace safety. They oversee American workplaces and hold employers accountable for creating and maintaining safe and healthful working conditions for workers. They do this by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance.
When companies fail to meet the basic minimum requirements, employees might need to contact a workers comp attorney in Baltimore for assistance.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that OSHA inspectors tend to find similar violations across various work environments. As a matter of fact, the agency stated many of the same workplace risks cited in this 2020’s list of most common violations were at the top of 2019’s list.
Of course, 2020’s list included several violations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. OSHA expects this to continue in 2021. In general, though, the same issues tend to arise over and over again in workplaces.
Some of the most common issues include:
Falls
Fall protection is consistently one of the most common issues in the workplace. Every day falls result in injuries to workers. This includes falls from scaffolding, ladders, and more. In many cases, falls result in severe injuries and hundreds of deaths each year. Worker’s comp attorneys in Baltimore frequently deal with workers whose lives were changed forever because of falls.
In general, OSHA requires employers to protect against falls by installing guards, rails, safety nets, and more. Your employer is responsible for designing and implementing fall protection measures in the workplace. They are also responsible for training employees in proper fall protection practices.
Hazard Alerts and Communication
Failing to alert workers to chemical dangers via proper communications is another common violation. Employers must ensure proper labeling of all dangerous. They must also instruct workers on how to handle chemicals safely and have access to the proper protective equipment.
Respiratory Protection
The pandemic drew a great deal of attention to respiratory protection in the workplace. Violations of this requirement increased in recent months because so many employers failed to provide appropriate PPE for employees in response to COVID-19 requirements. Many workers’ comp attorneys in Baltimore heard from clients regarding workplace COVID concerns.
In general, regardless of the specific risks, employees must have access to protective respirators and other needed devices to keep them safe from airborne hazards. Employers must not only provide proper equipment, but they must also train employees to use it properly. In addition to respirators, this also includes eye and face protection to avoid injury from exposure to:
- Airborne particles
- Molten metal
- Acids or caustic liquids
- Liquid chemicals
- Chemical gasses or vapors
- Injurious light radiation
Equipment
Employers are frequently cited for violations related to machinery and equipment. Whether it’s failing to properly train employees to safely operate industrial trucks to failing to maintain equipment in safe operating order to installing proper machine guards to protect from burns, loss of limbs, and lacerations, this is a common safety issue in the workplace.
This is just a portion of common violations. To see the complete list from last year, check out this information from the National Safety Council.
Contact a Workers’ Comp Attorney in Baltimore for Information on Workplace Injury Compensation
If your employer failed to implement proper safety measures which resulted in injuries while on the job, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Additional compensation might also be available. For more information or to schedule a consultation with an experienced workers comp attorney in Baltimore contact Shugarman & Mehring at 410.783.4200 or toll-free at 888.342.7200.
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