New Jersey employers are responsible for keeping their workers safe and healthy on the job. Unfortunately, many employers disregard many federal or state safety standards because of the misguided belief that compliance might affect the bottom line. Learning more about the safety hazards that cause most injuries could help workers to mitigate those dangers and stay safe with no need to file workers’ compensation claims.
One of the most frequent causes of serious, life-changing or even fatal workplace injuries is the lack of fall protection. Anyone who works on overhead platforms, elevated work stations or above holes in walls, floors or roofs must be equipped and know how to use fall-arrest gear. Scaffold-related injuries are often caused by falling objects, poorly constructed scaffolds that collapse or workers who slip or trip while working on them. Hazardous chemicals and communication protocols are often violated by the failure to provide relevant safety training, storage and labeling requirements and steps to take in emergencies.
Respiratory protection is crucial in many workplace environments, and workers must be provided with appropriate respiratory protection for the circumstances. They can refuse to work in hazardous conditions without the correct respirators. The fifth frequently-cited violation involves lockout/tagout devices to de-energize equipment and prevent workers from making contact with moving machine parts.
Despite all the precautions workers may take, accidents happen in the blink of an eye. This is where the skills of an experienced New Jersey workers’ compensation attorney can be invaluable. With the support and guidance of legal counsel, the worker can focus on recovery and getting back to work while the lawyer navigates the benefits claim process in pursuit of financial relief to cover medical expenses and lost wages.