Injured? Employer OSHA Requirements

It is crucially important for employers to follow all requirements enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Failing to adhere to OSHA requirements can lead to many problems for both employers and employees. Unlike other states, Alabama does not have a federally-approved OSHA program. 

However, employers in the private sector in Alabama need to adhere to the federal OSH Act. Should you have been injured at your place of work because your employer failed to adhere to OSHA requirements, you can benefit from hiring an Alabama workers’ compensation attorney. We can help you file a workers’ compensation claim - or any additional legal action - and obtain the benefits you deserve for the injury you sustained. 

What Are the OSHA Requirements?

Ultimately, the primary focus of OSHA requirements is to provide a safe and hazard-free workplace for employees to work and perform their daily duties. If an employer is covered by OSHA, they have an essential responsibility to create a safe environment free from hazards and ensure the company follows all OSHA health and safety standards. Employers who fail to follow OSHA requirements risk facing hefty fines, workers’ compensation liability, and possible cases brought against them by employees.

If there is a hazard, the employer is expected to address all health and safety concerns, even if they need to make physical or engineering changes to a working environment. It is an employer’s prerogative how they fix the issue as long as it is within OSHA standards. Essentially, companies should always try to fix the safety hazard in such a way that it improves an employee’s working conditions. Below are a few of the important OSHA requirements that need to be followed.

• Employers have to post any OSHA citations and injury and illness data in a readily accessible place where employees can view the reports. 
• It is a requirement that the official “OSHA Job Safety and Health: It’s the Law” poster be posted somewhere on the premises.
• All essential PPE needs to be distributed to employees at no cost to them.
• It is required that all workplace fatalities be reported within eight hours to the OSHA.
• All amputations, loss of an eye, and injuries resulting in hospitalization occurring at the workplace need to be reported to the OSHA within 24 hours. 
• Employers need to keep up-to-date and accurate records of all injuries and illnesses sustained by employees at work. 
• Employers should be alerted to all safety and chemical hazards in the workplace by using warning signs and hazard stickers, alarms, and color-coded systems. 

What Happens When an Employer Violates OSHA?

When employers violate safety standards, workers can suffer illnesses and injuries. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system and, in most cases, employees are barred from suing their employers for injuries, and they must seek benefits through workers’ comp instead. However, the government can impose penalties on employers and can require changes to safety policies and procedures, which work to protect employees in the future.

Get In Contact With a Montgomery Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today To Discuss Your Claim 

If you suffer injuries at work for any reason, you deserve full benefits for your medical bills and lost income. An Alabama workers’ compensation attorney can assist you with determining if you can initiate a claim based on your company's failure to comply with OSHA requirements. We care about our clients, and at the Law Office of Richard F. Matthews, Jr., we can help you with your claim. Contact us today.