Workplace accidents can cause a significant disruption in an injured victim’s life. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is constantly working to make workplaces in Connecticut and other states safer, but some employers fall short in implementing safety regulations which puts their workers at risk. Data has been collected regarding the top OSHA violations for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2018.
Violations of the duty to provide fall protection was the number one OSHA violation in fiscal 2018. Common violations include failure to provide protection near sides or edges on roofs. Failure to provide proper training in fall prevention ranked number seven. Failure to comply with OSHA guidelines on hazard communication ranked second. This includes failure to provide a written program, inadequate training and failure to properly fill out data sheets. Auto repair companies and hotels received some of the most citations in this area.
OSHA violations regarding scaffolds ranked third. Frequent violations included lack of a proper training program, failure to provide fall arrest systems and guardrails where required and failure to ensure that scaffolds are adequately supported. OSHA frequently cites employers who fail to comply with regulations because these violations can compromise employee safety.
Workers who have been injured on the job may be eligible to file a claim for workers’ compensation. Insurance companies may try to deny a workers’ compensation claim by claiming that the injury was not really work related or accusing the employee of not following proper procedures by failing to report the injury right away. Many workers’ compensation claims that have been denied are successfully appealed, however, and it might be advisable to have legal assistance at both the filing stage and at a subsequent hearing.
