As an employee, you are entitled to a safe work environment. This means that your employer has certain safety requirements to follow for the workplace to be considered safe. These regulations are outlined by OSHA and state how many hours employees can safely work without taking a break, what types of equipment are required in the workplace, and more.
Here are some of these requirements so that you know what your rights as an employee are:
Your employer has a responsibility to provide a safe working environment
When you’re on the job, your employer has specific responsibilities that they need to follow for the workplace to be considered safe whether you’re on a construction site, in an office building, or even in office containers. Your employer must provide safety training for all employees and ensure there is appropriate equipment provided. They also have a responsibility to keep accurate records of accidents and injuries to take preventive actions if necessary. For instance, if injured at a Charleston workplace, your employer must provide you with medical care or pay for it if they don’t have the correct coverage. Failure to do this may result in a court case.
If you feel like your work environment is unsafe, you can file a complaint with OSHA through your attorney. They will investigate and help ensure the situation has been resolved to your satisfaction. Ensure that you are factual and observant when filing your complaint so that it can be easily resolved!
Employers have to comply with certain safety requirements for the workplace
Working somewhere that is not safe can be detrimental to your health, so employers must adhere to certain safety requirements for the workplace. Employers must provide personal protective equipment (PPE), which includes things like hard hats, goggles, and more if needed for employees to work safely. They are also required by law to keep accurate records of injuries and illnesses at the workplace. This includes how often they happen, who was involved, whether or not an injury resulted in lost workdays, and more.
Employers must also provide training for workers on what to do if there is a chemical spill or other types of emergencies such as fire drills. Workers should be informed about these types of emergencies and what they need to do to be safe.
Establish and update operating procedures for employees
Employers are responsible for enforcing their employees to follow the safety policies and procedures that have been outlined. These should be clearly stated in an employee manual to know what they need to do if there is a fire or other emergency. If your employer fails to enforce these rules, it can result in fines being issued against them. For example, suppose your employer fails to implement their employees to use the correct safety equipment or follow all the rules and regulations outlined in OSHA standards for workplace safety. In that case, they can be fined up to $70k. This is a hefty fine that many employers would like to avoid!
Provide safety training in a language everyone understands
One way that your employer can keep you safe is by providing training for all employees; this should include information about how to work safely with different equipment, what types of precautions must be taken if there is a chemical spill or fire, and more. Your safety manual will outline these procedures, so it’s important to follow them for you to stay safe.
The training should also be in a language that everyone understands so that there are no issues with workers not understanding what they need to do if an emergency arises. This is especially important for immigrant employees who may have different native languages than those working around them or their managers.
Provide medical examinations and health training
Another way your employer can help keep you safe is by providing medical examinations and health training for their employees. This will ensure that all workers are healthy enough to do the tasks they need to complete at work without any issues arising from potential hazards or injuries.
Employers should also provide first aid kits, safety equipment such as gloves and goggles, and sharps containers that are clearly labelled. This is important for ensuring that the workplace stays safe and clean so that employees do not get hurt or sick while they’re at work.
Being able to stay healthy on the job will also help you avoid having to take time off of work because you were injured, resulting in your company losing money if there are not enough employees around to cover for you. While these requirements may seem like a lot of work, employers have to follow them to keep their workers safe while at the office or doing tasks that need to be completed on-site. If your employer is unable or unwilling to provide this type of safety training and equipment, it may be best to look for a new job that will allow you to work in a safer environment.
Ellen Diamond did her degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. She is interested in mental health and well-being.
