Every New York employee has the right to work in a safe work environment, free of safety violations. However, many employees have to face dangerous environments where they can easily suffer a workplace injury.
When workplace injuries occur, injured workers have the right to be compensated for their injuries. They will likely be covered under workers’ compensation. Furthermore, after an accident happens, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will ensure that the business fixes any safety concerns and is held responsible for violations.
One business that provides peanuts to Yankee Stadium has been the subject of an OSHA investigation and was fined after a workplace injury occurred. In this situation, one employee had the lower part of his arm amputated during a workplace accident. After the accident, OSHA opened an investigation.
During this investigation, OSHA found several workplace safety violations. These violations included four other-than-serious violations including violations for unsecured manufacturing equipment and missing personal protective equipment. These violations were not likely to cause serious injury.
The investigation also uncovered eight serious violations which were likely to cause death or serious harm that the employer knew about or should have known about.
Finally, the investigation also uncovered three repeat violations. These included open and unguarded shafts and certain electrical dangers. The company had been cited for these same violations in 2008. As a result of these 15 violations, OSHA fined the company $56,400.
This company, like all workplaces, had the responsibility to keep its workers safe. When workplace injuries occur, businesses should be held responsible.
Source: The Morning Call, “OSHA sets $56K fine for Bazzini worker amputation,” Tim Darragh, May 8, 2012