Workplace safety is everyone’s responsibility, but when employers don’t follow the right workplace safety requirements, it can be difficult to stay safe. Here are some steps you can take in order to protect yourself and stay safe on the job site. You may want to document any unsafe situations or actions that occur so that you’ll have evidence if something does happen!
1. Speak up about your concerns
If you’re uncomfortable with how things are going at work and your employer hasn’t addressed it properly, don’t be afraid to speak up about your concerns! You deserve the right to work in a safe place, and you have the power to change things if your employer is unwilling to improve conditions for everyone.
2. Seek legal counsel
If all your other attempts fall on deaf ears, and you don’t feel comfortable going to your employer or a coworker, it might be time to contact an attorney. For example, if you live in Charleston and don’t know how to go about hiring a lawyer, simply googling “Charleston workers compensation lawyers” will show you all the available options in that area. The attorney can assess your situation and figure out if there’s an underlying issue that needs to be addressed right away. If you feel like your employer isn’t doing enough to protect you, don’t wait until it’s too late! The last thing you want is to experience a workplace injury in the future because no one was there for you when your employer didn’t follow proper safety procedures. If you’ve been injured on the job and your employer didn’t follow the right workplace safety requirements, contact an attorney for help as soon as possible.
3. Document anything out of the ordinary
It’s always a good idea to start keeping track of anything that makes you uncomfortable or concerned about your safety at work. You might think it’s not important or small enough to worry about until it happens again, but by documenting these instances you’ll have proof that it happened. You’ll have a paper trail to follow if something does happen!
4. Report any incidents to your employer
If you see a hazard or suffer an injury on the job, you should notify your employer immediately so they can address it and improve workplace safety for everyone. Even if you think an incident is small or not worth reporting, it’s important to let your employer know about all workplace safety concerns. If you can’t or don’t want to report an incident through a formal procedure, the next best thing you can do is bring it up with your employer as soon as possible. If they know that something happened and only have more questions, they might be able to address it quickly.
5. Talk to a coworker
If you hear from a coworker that they’ve been injured on the job recently, ask them if they notified the employer and if the situation was handled properly. If your current employer hasn’t been following the right workplace safety requirements, it may be a good idea to look into working somewhere else before something serious happens. If you feel unsafe on the job, it’s a good idea to talk to a coworker about your concerns. They might be able to provide some insight as well as offer additional ideas of what you can do if an incident does happen at work.
6. Consult your state Department of Labor
Every state has its own Department of Labor that specializes in labor relations and workplace safety issues. If you’re feeling like your employer isn’t following the right rules and procedures, it’s a good idea to check with your local Department of Labor for information on reporting unsafe conditions or actions. You may even be able to file a complaint against your employer so they can be held accountable for their actions.
7. Better Business Bureau
The Better Business Bureau is a great resource when it comes to your rights as an employee. Most companies are expected to follow the right workplace safety requirements in order to protect everyone from accidents and injuries, but if you find yourself being placed at risk by your employer, it’s time to take action!
8. Contact OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration)
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration is a government agency that provides information about workplace safety standards and compliance. If you’re concerned about your safety on the job site, this might be a good place to start looking for additional resources or advice on what steps to take next.
Always keep your safety at work as a priority, but if you find yourself in an unsafe or uncomfortable work environment, don’t be afraid to address the issue and seek help from others. No matter what your employer does and no matter how uncomfortable you’re made to feel by their actions, it’s important to remember that they can’t put your safety at risk. If you feel like a situation is dangerous, make sure to talk with your employer about it immediately and report any hazards or injuries on the job. Documenting these incidents will build a case for yourself if you need to file a complaint against your employer in the future. By staying proactive and speaking up, you can make sure to stay safe on the job!
