Types of Workplace Hazards to Avoid
Posted on July 14th, 2020 by Oddo & Babat, P.C.
Personal Injury Lawyer
Everyone has a right to earn a living in a safe and clean environment. If you or a loved one works in a hazardous work environment, it could lead to the following:
- Injury
- Pain
- Depression
- Disability
- Death
Personal injury attorneys are knowledgeable about various hazards that can compromise safety in the workplace.
Physical Hazards
Your safety could be at risk if the physical environment of your workplace is improperly maintained. A loose floorboard, exposed wiring, or machines lacking safety features can pose threats like falls, electrocution, dismemberment, and even death. These outcomes are avoidable with proper facilities maintenance.
Chemical Hazards
For employees who work in industries involving constant exposure to chemicals, special precautions must be taken to avoid injuries including skin burns and rashes, chemical intoxication, and poisoning. Employees who work with highly volatile compounds, including lab and manufacturing plant workers, must receive personal protective equipment to handle clearly labeled substances.
Biological Hazards
Many work environments leave employees exposed to infection due to bacteria, mold, or disease. Workers at hospitals and nursing homes are particularly vulnerable to unsanitary conditions, but food service and veterinary employees are also susceptible to illnesses related to harmful biological substances.
Radiation Hazards
Radiation energy can take the form of light or be odorless, invisible, and formless. Therefore, controlling exposure to it requires the utmost caution. Working with harmful radiation levels without proper training or protection can lead to a change in the molecular structure within the body that can cause cancers and other devastating illnesses.
Ergonomic Hazards
Jobs that require sustained repetitive physical movement or heavy lifting can be hazardous to an employee’s musculoskeletal system. Training employees to perform tasks safely is the best way to prevent debilitating injuries. For example, piano movers can learn to apply proper leverage for heavy lifting, and house painters can take frequent breaks when painting ceilings to avoid shoulder strain.
Sound and Vibration Hazards
Loud noise in the workplace is a common health hazard for construction workers and airport ground crew. In industries where excessive noise can permanently damage an employee’s hearing, employers must provide ear protection gear.
It is best not to assume that your company’s management is aware of every safety issue. Immediately alerting the person in charge of a potential violation is the first step toward ensuring a hazard-free work environment. If that does not remedy the problem, a lawyer, like a personal injury lawyer from Darrell Castle and Associates, PLLC, can guide you through the next steps.
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