Low staffing levels at Cal/OSHA hurting workers?
Workplace safety may be being jeopardized by the lack of enforcement by California worker's safety agencies.
March 11, 2014
Low staffing levels at Cal/OSHA hurting workers?Article provided by Law Offices Of Thomas M. DeBenedetto
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California workers depend upon many different groups to ensure their safety when they are on the job. They trust that their employers are following all of the property safety precautions and doing whatever possible to prevent a serious accident from happening on-the-job. Workers also rely upon agencies like the California Division of Occupational Safety & Health (Cal/OSHA) to step in and request changes when employers may not be following all of the rules connected to workplace safety.
However, a recent report by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) has demonstrated that low staffing levels at Cal/OSHA may be potentially subjecting workers to unsafe conditions. According to PEER, Cal/OSHA only has 170 workplace inspectors available, which is a decrease of nearly 10 percent from 1989. This has led to roughly 1,000 to 2,000 fewer workplace inspections per year, which is a major concern for workers.
Those who have been injured in a workplace accident may be eligible for workers' compensation benefits, but, some of these incidents could be easily preventable if the agency was inspecting each facility. Agricultural workers are being especially hit hard by the Cal/OSHA staffing shortage, as officials have been slow to react to reported issues, in some cases even failing to do follow-up inspections.
Employers and employees can each take steps to help make their workplaces safer. Employers need to be sure that they know and understand all of the rules that protect their workers, and commit to making changes when new policies are needed. Employees should remain alert while they are on the jobsite, and if an accident happens, they should immediately report it to their supervisors. This will start the workers' compensation process which will be extremely important should the injured individual miss any time from work.
If you have been injured in a workplace accident, you need to understand that there are specific rules that you must follow in order to be eligible to receive workers' compensation benefits. You should speak to an experienced workers' compensation attorney as soon as possible in order to receive benefits while you are out of work.
Your attorney will be able to assist you with all steps of the process, and ensure that your injuries receive the treatment that you need to return to health. Often, employers will try to get their employees back to work as soon as possible, leading to potential conflicts in the treatments being administered. You need someone looking out for your best interests so that your long-term health is not adversely impacted by the decisions being made at this time.