A company operating in the industrial sector must ensure the well-being of its employees. Statistics show that recordable accidents have declined in number during the past decades. These incidents contribute to on-site injuries and even fatalities that cause adverse business impacts. Companies must implement safety measures to restrict these tragedies and diminish workplace accidents. Abiding by the occupational safety and health (OSH) regulations brings a 5% increase in productivity while reducing insurance expenditures up to 20%. Every business needs to develop OSH as an integral component of its corporate culture. It is possible only when companies learn the following laws protecting on-site worker safety:
Laws that protect worker safety
- Eye/face protection:-
Work-related injuries result in thousands of employees losing or damaging their eyesight. These horrible events are preventable with eye/face protection. So, OSHA requires companies to provide the necessary equipment to all workers to safeguard against chemicals, radiation, and other workplace hazards.
- Health coverage:-
The Affordable Care Act (2010) compelled medium/large-sized businesses to offer employees health insurance of minimal level. This law includes companies with 50 or more full-time workers. And you qualify as a full-time employee if you work at a medium-scale company for 30 hours every week.
- Sanitation measures:-
OSHA requires employers to provide potable water on-site while controlling vermin production in all enclosed workplaces. Moreover, the company must afford toilet facilities for all sexes. The number of toilets available should depend on how many employees currently work there at the company.
- Asbestos protection:-
Asbestos exposure may lead to severe and various medical complications, including mesothelioma. The life expectancy of a patient after diagnosis becomes twelve months. Employees who contracted this cancer at their workplace can contact Simmons Law Firm to receive fair compensation. Specific laws exist that prohibit the use of crocidolite and the spraying of asbestos. Moreover, employers should take all measures to restrict asbestos exposure by limiting its release into the air on-site.
- Pollution protection:-
The Working Environment Protection (1977) ensures that employers make workplaces free from pollution caused by air, noise, or vibration. Companies shall take technical or supplementary measures to safeguard the working environment. These measures include occasional supervisions to watch out for any environmental hazard. This law ascertains that the air in which employees breathe is kept healthy and germ-free, being the employer’s responsibility.
- Fall protection:-
Falls cause many instances of injuries and fatalities among on-site workers. Employees have harmed themselves by falling from elevated platforms/stations or into undetectable holes/ditches. So, OSHA requires employers to implement fall protection measures. They should guard holes or trenches into which people may accidentally trip. Elevated platforms must have guard-rails and toe-boards for preventing workplace accidents. These actions decrease on-site injuries and deaths from falling.
- Radiation protection:-
Radiation exposure leads to cancer and other complications. The Radiation Protection Convention (1960) compels employees to safeguard employees against ionizing radiations. It states that people under 16 can’t engage in jobs involving radiation. Moreover, all workers shall undergo medical examinations before/after engaging in radiation work. Also, companies must avoid any unnecessary radiation exposure. It’s the employer’s responsibility to conduct monitoring of the workplace.
- Whistleblower protection:-
Reporting your employer for violating OSH takes courage. But becoming a whistleblower involves the risk of retaliation from your employer. Thus, OSHA’s Whistleblower Program protects workers from revenge/retaliation from the company they work for after reporting violations. Employees who are afraid of getting fired or facing workplace discrimination may contact this program. This program enables workers to speak up against unlawful policies/practices at their workplace.
- Medical leave:-
The Clinton administration introduced FMLA in the ‘90s. The Family and Medical Leave Act allowed employees to take twelve workweeks worth of unpaid leave after childbirth or acquiring a critical medical condition. The worker will not lose his/her employment or health insurance for this lengthy absence. But only eligible employees can benefit from FMLA-bound financial facilities. They must have been with the company for twelve months at least while working 1,250 hours that year.
- Miscellaneous laws:-
Different regulations protect employees against various safety hazards. OSHA electrical standards make sure that workers aren’t affected by fires, shocks, or explosions on-site. Devices must have wirings that are covered. Similarly, moving machine components need safeguards to prevent hand injuries, crushed fingers, or permanent blindness. Thus, employers must provide fire extinguishers always on-site to be readily available in the case of emergency (e.g., evacuation).
It’s mandatory – as per OSHA – to have first-aid kits on-site. These kits must include all necessary items such as bandages and gauze pads. These laws also enforce companies to have means of egress (escape) in every building or structure. These exits provide employees clear egress from all portions of the workplace. There should be visible signs showing these exits for people’s convenience. Also, no locks/fastening must prevent workers from escaping (except for buildings such as jail).
Conclusion
It’s an employer’s responsibility to maintain healthful working conditions and preserve our national human resources. Employees often fall victims to different occupational risks that lead to back pain, hearing loss, asthma, depression, and even cancer. Surprisingly many workers have no insurance in case of workplace injuries. That’s why OSHA wants the corporate sector to take health initiatives to create safer workplaces. These initiatives can help reduce absenteeism and lower healthcare expenditures for companies. That’s why OSHA’s “general duty clause” binds employers to adopt practices necessary to protect workers on-site and ensure their safety.
