New York employees go to work and expect to be safe. However, many workplaces fail to adopt safety regulations that can help keep employees free of injuries. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration, can step in during these situations to enforce federal safety regulations that help to keep New York employees safe.
OSHA will often perform an investigation of a workplace after an accident occurs. OSHA is trying to determine why the accident occurred and whether the company was properly following laws. If OSHA finds that violations occurred, it can impose penalties on the company.
This recently occurred in New York after an accident involving serious injuries to an employee. In this case, a man climbed into a 3,000-gallon tank used to make certain dressings at a sauce company. This particular tank had acetic acid vapors from the production of vinegar. The man was overcome by the vapors and fell. Subsequently, he was hospitalized for five days with serious injuries.
An OSHA investigation found that the company failed to properly train employees about the dangers of enclosed spaces. In fact, OSHA issued citations for 12 violations by the company. As a result, OSHA has proposed nearly $80,000 in fines for the company.
The company, on the other hand, is contesting the findings. The company claims that standard procedures were not being followed when the accident occurred.
In any case, workers in New York should not feel at risk at work. Workers who have been injured, may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. While an OSHA investigation can help to determine why the accident occurred, workers’ compensation benefits can directly benefit the injured employee.
Source: MNet, “OSHA Cites NY Company After Worker Overcome By Vinegar Fumes,” Andy Szal, March 30, 2016