Ohio company facing fines for accident and injury hazards
Many employees are aware of the risks they face when they are members of certain professions. However, their safety training should be kept updated, and employers should make sure there are no unnecessary hazards. If employers are lax in these practices, their workers could be put at considerable risk for injury. Should a worker be injured as a result, they could potentially qualify for workers’ compensation.
A company in Ohio was recently cited by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, or OSHA, due to violations found at the worksite. It was reported that OSHA conducted an investigation after a complaint about the company. Their investigation revealed that workers were put at a greater risk of injury due to not having proper safety guards installed on machinery or on areas where potential falls could take place.
It was also reported that employees were using equipment inappropriately in order to reach higher places by stacking blocks on a forklift and using the machine to lift them while a worker was standing on them. This violation led investigators to believe that employers with the company had a disregard for worker safety. The company was given five citations that could result in approximately $130,000 in fines.
Being exposed to such hazards could easily result in a workplace accident and injury. An employee at this Ohio worksite could potentially fall and suffer serious injuries due to a number of safety violations. If a worker in a similar situation does become injured on the job, he or she could potentially qualify for workers’ compensation. Interested individuals may wish to explore such benefits to determine whether they could be eligible.
Source: cleveland.com, “OSHA cites Canton aluminum plant for safety violations“, Marcia Pledger, Sept. 24, 2014