The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires all employers in New York to provide workers with safe working conditions. But some employers fail to do so, placing workers at a serious risk of accidents. Workers who find that their workplace environment is full of hazards that increase their risk of an injury or fatality can refuse to work in such an environment.
If you become injured or ill because of unsafe conditions in the workplace, you may recover compensation under New York workers’ comp laws. If you need help, contact the unsafe working conditions lawyers at Gacovino, Lake & Associates. Call us at 800-550-0000.
What makes a workplace unsafe?
Below are some examples of unsafe workplace environments.
- Malfunctioning or badly maintained machinery or tools
- Lack of safety training for workers
- Lack of safety procedures like lockout and tagout procedures
- Lack of inspections of workplace facilities
- Failure to install workplace safety systems, including alarm systems and other devices
- Failure to provide workers with safety and protection equipment like fall protection gear, helmets and eye protection gear
- Failure to record incidents of injuries or fatalities
- Failure to implement proper processes for storage and handling of flammable or dangerous toxic materials or liquids
- Failure to secure the property against fall hazards
- Failure to protect workers against electrocution of electrical injury hazards
These conditions can increase the risk of an accident or development of workplace-related illnesses. Existence of these conditions even may help our unsafe working conditions attorneys in New York establish that your injury or illness is work-related if you’re filing a workers’ comp claim.
Filing a Complaint against Unsafe Work Conditions
Workers have the right to report unsafe working conditions to OSHA. Before you file a complaint with the federal agency, bring the unsafe working conditions to the notice of your company’s human resources or safety management department.
If you do not receive a response from your company, or it does not take action to remedy the problem, then file a complaint with OSHA. The agency provides several options for doing so. You can contact your nearest OSHA field office in New York, for example. You also can call OSHA toll-free at 1-800-321-OSHA or contact the agency via its website.
Fortunately, federal employment laws offer protection against any wrongful retaliatory action that your employer might take if you file a complaint.
Injured in a workplace accident? Call our unsafe working conditions lawyers in New York today!
New York’s workers’ compensation laws allow workers to file claims when they suffer injuries in their workplace. A workers’ compensation claim not only can cover your medical expenses, but also disability benefits during the time when you are unable to work.
However, workers’ compensation might not be the only option you have for financial compensation after an injury related to unsafe work conditions. For instance, if defective safety gear, defective tools, malfunctioning wiring and other factors caused your accident, you may be able to hold third parties like manufacturers and distributors liable for your injuries.
Speak to unsafe working conditions lawyers in New York to discuss filing a workers’ comp claim, whether you may take action against a third party and how the two claims might affect each other. Call 800-550-0000 to speak with an attorney at Gacovino, Lake & Associates. You also can fill out the form located on our contact page to schedule a free initial consultation with a lawyer at our firm and start discussing your options.
