This week the 2018 list of the top 12 (the dirty dozen) unsafe workplaces was publishes by The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH). Although Altizer Law, P.C., does not practice worker’s compensation law, we found this disturbing enough and important enough to share it with you. It is the responsibility of business owners to follow the appropriate guidelines and laws that protect the safety of workers. It is the responsibility of workers to report unsafe work environments.
In 2016 (the latest data available) 5,190 people died as a result of workplace injuries. This was a 12 percent increase from 2012 and a 7 percent increase over the number reported in 2015. In fact, workplace injuries and deaths are increasing at an alarming rate.
The companies singled out for unsafe working conditions are:
- Amazon
- Case Farms
- Dine Brands Global, Inc (IHOP and Applebee’s)
- JK Excavating
- Lowe’s Home Improvement
- LynnWay Auto Auction
- New York and Atlantic Railway
- Patterson UTI Energy
- Sarbanand Farms
- Tesla Motors
- Veria International
- Waste Management
Many of these companies were cited for numerous OSHA violations, sexual harassment and abuse, use of unsafe materials or failure to protect workers when using these materials, harassment of immigrant workers, failure to provide adequate safety training and/or equipment, serious injuries including amputation, traumatic brain injury, failure to report serious injuries, and improper handling of chemicals.
We know that accidents happen, people make mistakes, and that fatigue sets the stage for an accident. However, a history of poor maintenance of equipment, of failure to follow safety standards, or of failure to provide adequate safety training for employees, should be a warning to potential employees that problems exist and that they should consider this history before accepting a job with the company.
Some jobs and some workplaces are inherently more dangerous than others. Employees should be apprised of this before they begin working. Employees should be able to expect a safe work environment that adheres to federal, state, and industry guidelines or laws. By the same token, employers should be able to expect employees to follow the regulations to ensure their safety.
As in many industries, regulations have been adopted to protect employees from abuse by employers. The revocation of some of these regulations will contribute to an ongoing increase in the number of such injuries in workplaces. Many employers, agencies, and employees have expressed concert that any weakening of regulations will send the message to employers that they can ignore safety standards and regulations without paying a price, no matter how many workers are injured.
When a business hires a new employee, we all know that the company researches the background of the employee. Those new employees owe it to themselves to exercise the same due diligence about the potential employer before accepting a job. Once in a job, the employee owes it to him/her-self to take all possible precautions to ensure his or her safety.
If you or a loved one has been injured in the workplace due to a company’s failure to follow safety standards you may have the basis of a legal action against the company. Altizer Law, P.C. does not practice worker’s compensation law; but we can help you find a good attorney who specializes in that area and is trustworthy.
