If you work full-time, you probably feel like you spend more time at work then you do at your home in St. George, Utah. Granted, at home you spend about 50 percent of your time sleeping, putting the majority of your waking hours punched on the clock.
This can become problematic if you’re working in a space that is dangerous. Your lawyer would be the first to tell you that you have a right to spend the majority of your awake time at a place that is safe from possible personal injury.
Do Your Part
If you feel that your workplace isn’t safe, there is something you can do. You are protected by law to report unsafe work environments without fear of retaliation. Talk to your employer about unsafe spaces. If that doesn’t work, report your employer to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In the worst case scenario, if you get hurt at work on one of these dangerous spaces, you’ll want to talk to a personal injury lawyer.
Even though your employer is bound by law to make your workplace safe, that doesn’t mean you aren’t also responsible for your own safety. If you know that a surface is slick, don’t risk getting into a slip and fall accident. Take a mental note of these dangers and talk to your employer about them the first chance you get.
What Are the Risks?
Slip and fall accidents are one of the leading causes of injury in the workplace second to overexertion. Talk to your lawyer; she will also tell you that falling from heights, auto accidents and improper use of protective gear are also dangers you should be aware of.
However, even a lawyer isn’t going to be able to tell you how to approach your specific workplace hazards, so make sure you follow all the safety rules put in place to protect you. Be careful. Even if what you’re doing doesn’t break the rules, if it seems dangerous, it probably is.
Sources:
https://www.osha.gov/workers/
http://www.worksafemt.com/your-role/employees/rights-and-responsibilities/