After an accident, some companies may be reluctant to report violations or take responsibility. All severe work-related injuries must be reported within 24 hours to OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. A workplace fatality must be reported within eight hours. Over 10,000 severe injuries were reported nationwide in 2015.
Many work sites can be dangerous places. OSHA ensures that employers maintain workplaces that protect employees from unreasonable risks. OSHA enforces standards and provides training and education. This act covers most private sector workers and some public sector employees. Illinois workers are at risk when OSHA regulations are violated. A workers compensation lawyer Chicago can help determine if OSHA rules and regulations have been violated.
OSHA News Releases in Early 2016
News releases detail violations in regulations. Recent articles for violations in Illinois include:
- Four companies cited at Springfield waste-water treatment facility
- D&D Manufacturing in Bolingbrook entered into the Severe Violator Enforcement Program
- Lack of training cited after logging worker dies in Woodlawn
A worker at the Springfield waste-water treatment facility suffered fatal injuries while testing joints inside a 54-inch round pipe. Inspectors from OSHA found that the worker was not properly trained and that contractors did not manage how workers entered the pipe. Four different companies at the location were cited. This was among the first citation for the confined space in construction standard.
D&D Manufacturing had violations severe enough that inspectors placed the company into the Severe Violator Enforcement Program. This program concentrates resources on employers that have shown a disregard of OSHA regulations. One of the violations included an amputation, which was not properly reported. According to Kathy Webb, an OSHA area director, “Employers like D&D Manufacturing must do more to protect workers from these debilitating injuries.”
Logging is one of the most dangerous professions according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Seventy-seven deaths were reported in 2014. A worker for Sawyer Tree Services was killed because damaged trees were not removed prior to conducting logging operations. OSHA ruled the death as preventable.
What to do After an Accident
A workers compensation lawyer Chicago can help answer questions after an incident at work has occurred. Workers lives, and the lives of their families, can be dramatically impacted in a single moment. Employers are regulated by OSHA to ensure that the workplace is as safe as possible.
