In addition to providing workers with safe workplace environments, employers in Oklahoma and nationwide are required to report workplace injuries to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration within a specified period. After receiving information of an unreported workplace injury at a business in another state, OSHA launched an investigation. This was to determine the circumstances of the incident and to check the company’s compliance with safety regulations.
Upon completion of the inspection, OSHA reported that the workers at this facility were exposed to an unacceptable number of safety hazards that were not addressed. The agency found that the incident under investigation involved a worker who suffered a fractured leg while he was operating a crane. The incident was apparently not reported within the required 24 hours.
OSHA determined that the company violated 44 safety regulations, of which three were repeat violations. The violations included damaged electrical equipment that could threaten the safety of workers, malfunctioning and damaged crane equipment and unguarded metal saws. Furthermore, the agency found floor openings and machines that were not guarded, and workers were not trained in confined space management.
OSHA proposed hefty penalties and ordered the company to address the safety violations without delay. Unfortunately, some company owners in Oklahoma also disregard safety regulations and incidents of workplace injury. Workers are typically entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, regardless of whose fault an on-the-job accident may have been. Compensation typically provides financial assistance with medical expenses and wages lost while injured workers are recuperating and unable to return to work.
Source: ehstoday.com, “Employees Exposed to Dangerous Workplace Hazards at Aluminum Services Plant“, Sandy Smith, Oct. 6, 2015