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Has your employer met OSHA requirements?

On Behalf of | Feb 8, 2017 | Workers' Compensation

No matter what type of work you do in Oklahoma, it’s always nice if you happen to enjoy it. It’s also a perk if you get along well with your co-workers and employer. There are challenges with every job, however, and what’s typically crucial toward finding agreeable solutions is being able to address the matter at-hand in an open, amicable manner. When it comes to workplace safety, a problematic issue may put you or your colleagues’ well-being in jeopardy. So, it’s important for your employer to take such things seriously.

In fact, employers are obligated to fulfill many responsibilities when it comes to workplace safety. While It’s not your job to police your employer, it is often helpful if you have a clear understanding of employment law and know what to expect so you can lower your risk for injury on the job and are able to recognize negligence when you see it.

Employer obligations

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulates and oversees safety in the workplace. According to OSHA, your employer is obligated to provide as safe an atmosphere as possible each time you show up for work. Such responsibility includes some of the following:

  • Proper training: Your employer must provide training appropriate to your duties in a language you can clearly understand. Risk of accidents greatly increases when employers fail to fulfill this obligation.
  • Safe equipment: Regardless what type tools, machines or equipment your job requires, it is your employer’s responsibility to make sure all necessary supplies are regularly inspected for safety and maintained in good working condition, including repairs or upgrades as needed.
  • Hazard warnings: Your workplace should be free of debris or anything considered hazardous to your safety. If a hazard exists, your employer must use highly visible materials to post warning and caution signs in conspicuous locations to help you avoid injury.
  • Workplace inspections: Your employer should regularly check your entire workplace to make sure everything is being done according to OSHA safety standards.
  • Report injuries: Any accident resulting in worker injury (or death) must be reported by your employer to OSHA in a timely manner. There are specific instructions regarding this time table depending on the severity of the injury that has occurred.

This list is by no means extensive as there are many other things employers must do to remain in good standing where safety issues are concerned. If your employer is cited for a safety violation, employees must be informed of this by posting the cited violation where all can see it, and a correction must be implemented and confirmed before the posted violation is removed.

Suffering an injury at work can cause financial hardship in addition to any physical pain or disability associated with your condition. To provide support and ease financial stress, the workers’ compensation system is in place to provide benefits to cover the cost of your medical expenses and provide income while you are on leave of absence in recovery. If you believe your employer has been negligent in some way, or you have run into some other problem related to workers’ comp, you can discuss the situation with an experienced attorney.

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