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Employers that put their workers at risk for serious injury or death will face steep fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for failing to adhere to safety regulations. Machines and a failure to implement proper protective procedures are a very common cause of workplace accidents among workers nationwide.
Twice in the last year, an Ohio steel tubing company has come under scrutiny by OSHA for exposing its workers to dangerous machinery that put its employees at risk for catastrophic injuries, including the loss of limbs. According to a July 2014 inspection by OSHA, the company was guilty of three repeated violations and four serious violations. After the 2014 investigation concluded, OSHA fined the Ohio steel tubing company almost $140,000.
Do Regulations Protect Me from Workplace Accidents Caused by Machinery?
OSHA regulations on the safe use of machinery have common themes, but one of the most frequently cited rules in place specifies the importance of machine guarding. According to OSHA, guarding includes protecting workers from debris, setting up working guardrails, shielding workers from dangerous moving parts, installing and training workers to use electronic safety devices and tag-in tag-out policies.
OSHA cited the Ohio steel tubing company for failing to prevent machines from turning on during maintenance, inadequate use of railings and exposing workers to dangerous moving parts. If an employee had been injured by working in unsafe conditions, they would be entitled to workers’ compensation and possibly disability benefits depending on the severity of the injury.
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC has decades of experience helping Ohio workers find a comfortable quality of life after being injured on the job. We encourage our readers to contact us for a free consultation if they have questions about their case.
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC – Columbus Worker’s Comp Attorneys