What Is OSHA and Why Does It Matter?

 Posted on July 28, 2023 in Workers' Compensation

Everyone who works for a living is at risk of sustaining employment-related harm. The risks associated with employment in the U.S. vary based on the industry in which someone works and the tasks they perform as a function of their job. Office workers may struggle increasingly over time as repetitive motion trauma develops and evolves. Construction workers may fall from heights and utility workers may suffer electrocution. The government agency tasked most directly with helping all workers to avoid these and other kinds of employment-related harm is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

OSHA’s Mission

The agency describes its purpose as ensuring "safe and healthful working conditions for workers by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance." When OSHA’s efforts are successful, fewer injuries and illnesses occur under employment-related circumstances.

Why OSHA’s Efforts Are Relevant to Injured Workers

OSHA does not have access to unlimited resources. Therefore, many companies operate in ways that violate safety regulations at the expense of their workers’ well-being. In the event that employees are subjected to unsafe working conditions, they can submit an anonymous request for an OSHA inspection with the agency.

Oftentimes, these requests are not submitted until workers have already sustained harm. Ideally, OSHA would inspect an unsafe workspace prior to tragedy unfolding. Yet it is far better for the agency to be alerted to a company’s safety violations later rather than never, as this heads-up can help to ensure that an injured employee’s co-workers – and an injured worker who eventually returns to their position after healing – are made safer by virtue of OSHA’s attention and enforcement efforts.

Schedule a Complimentary Consultation with a Gilroy Workers’ Compensation Lawyer to Learn More 

If you have sustained work-related harm, you may be entitled to compensation regardless of whether your working conditions were particularly safe or unsafe. With that said, the client-focused team of Santa Clara County, CA workers’ compensation lawyers at Cramer + Martinez can help you to report any unsafe working conditions anonymously in addition to assisting you with your workers’ compensation claim.

To schedule a complimentary consultation, you can call our office at 408-848-1113 or reach us online today. Once our team has learned about the unique circumstances that led to your harm, we can help you to make informed decisions about your rights and options. We look forward to speaking with you.

Source:

https://www.osha.gov/aboutosha