Safety should be the number one priority when you’re at work. Regardless of your industry and profession, everyone has the right to feel comfortable in their work environment. Otherwise, people face an increased risk of bodily harm, and this leads to less trust between employees and management. Make sure you’re on the lookout for these signs of an unsafe work environment. This way, you can properly address the issues and get them resolved before someone sustains an injury.
Minimal or No Safety Training
If your employer failed to provide you with safety procedures and training upon your hiring, it could leave you and your team in a dangerous position. Thorough training ensures that everyone knows how to conduct themselves around certain pieces of equipment. This process even discusses how to react in a hazardous situation and the steps to effectively mitigate the risks. Without training, you’re much more likely to make a mistake that results in a workplace accident.
OSHA Violations
Noticeable OSHA violations are also a key sign of an unsafe work environment. As the organization responsible for setting workplace standards for safety, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration knows how to keep people protected. If you see things in your workplace that blatantly violate these industry regulations, your employer is leaving you at risk. Some examples of this include failing to display warning signs in work zones or allowing you to use defective equipment.
Inconsistent Maintenance Practices
Another thing to monitor is how often people inspect and maintain equipment. Periodic repairs are essential to keeping machines operating in the safest possible manner. If you fail to conduct these tasks, a device becomes unpredictable and can put people in danger. You should know when a piece of equipment was last serviced before you use it.
Poor Communication
The biggest red flag of all is a lack of communication between everyone involved with a project. Clearly transferring information is vital to keeping everyone on the same page and minimizing errors. When your team can’t communicate with one another, things are more likely to go wrong. Monitoring how your team plans certain tasks can be an indicator of how safe a project will be.
Being aware of these signs is important to preventing accidents. However, you should still know what to do if you sustain an injury on the job. Whether you work in the industrial or construction industry, contacting a qualified injury attorney can get you the compensation you need. This way, you’re protecting your future from the catastrophic aftermath.
