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Workplace injuries occur when Maryland employers ignore OSHA
Employers have the responsibility under Maryland law to do everything in their power to keep their employees safe while working on the job. Ensuring the work site is safe is imperative to keeping workplace injuries at bay, but some employers fail to follow the laws. When safety is not a concern, accidents and fatalities can occur.
A company in another state has been cited by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration after knowingly exposing its employees to a plethora of hazards in the workplace. The infractions are all things that the company can fix to help prevent injuries or worse. The company has 15 business days from the issuance of the penalties and citations to make the proposed changes. If the company does not comply, it will have to pay $220,544 in fines.
The company was cited for two willful, seven serious and five other-than-serious workplace violations after an inspection in late October. The investigation revealed that workers of the company were exposed to unguarded machines, which could lead to amputation. OSHA also discovered that exposed electrical wires and control cabinets left the workers open to electrocution and burns. Guardrails that could prevent falls were also not present in many walkways.
When companies fail to keep their employees’ safety first and foremost, workplace injuries most likely will happen. Workers who fall victim to a workplace injury have the option to seek workers’ compensation to help cover the cost of medical expenses and lost wages that result from the specific incident. If the incident proves fatal for the employee, the workers’ compensation program will provide survivor benefits to a living spouse and dependent children. A Maryland attorney with a background in workplace injuries can help victims to understand their options and assist with the steps needed in filing a claim as well as help with an appeal should a claim be denied.
Source: ecmweb.com, “OSHA Cites Missisippi Company for Exposing Workers to Hazards“, Nov. 3, 2017