According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), more than 1.4 million workers in the United States are impacted by serious workplace injuries or illnesses every year. Members of the workforce in New York are probably aware that many of these injuries could be handled better if there were more preventative training in place. Having certain core information in every workplace safety training manual can be the secret to minimizing these injuries going forward.
The key purpose of any occupational health and safety (OH&S) program is to increase safety in the workplace by laying out a plan of action that minimizes workplace hazards. Even though every company’s needs vary to some degree, some key elements are at the heart of every business’s safety plan. Having a written account of corporate accountability, individual responsibility and a policy statement means that everyone knows what is expected of him or her in regards to workplace safety.
Simply having a written plan in place isn’t enough to ensure safety. Instead, it is paramount for those in positions of authority to take the time to carefully inspect the entire work area to guarantee the safety of everyone there. Ensuring that there are no exposed wires, leaky ceilings and other seemingly mundane issues can help reduce the number of injuries suffered in any given workplace.
Any employee who has been injured at work, whether there was a written plan in place or not, is encouraged to contact an attorney who is knowledgeable about workers’ compensation laws. A lawyer can review the claim, investigate the situations that caused his or her client’s injury, and help guarantee that the client gets the financial assets to which he or she is entitled.
