Seeing a building project coming to fruition after months of planning is undoubtedly a satisfying experience for everybody involved in the undertaking. However, if proper planning is not continued throughout all stages, including construction, preventable workplace injuries can hurt the bottom line. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration tasks employers in Oklahoma with protecting employees from known workplace hazards.
Any job that involves physical work activities and various types of equipment and tools pose enormous risks of nonfatal injuries. These dangers are raised by both power and hand tools, heavy equipment, noise, pollution, flammable liquids and more. Struck-by and crushing hazards are significant, along with slip-and-fall risks, repetitive motion and musculoskeletal injuries caused by lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling heavy objects.
Some of the precautions that can prevent injuries include maintaining proper housekeeping to eliminate slips and trips, adequate safety training and properly maintained tools and equipment. Employers must provide and enforce the use of the necessary personal protective equipment. Along with hard hats, PPE must include safety boots, gloves, face shields, safety glasses, ear protection, headlamps and fall-arrest harnesses.
All these are known hazards that must form part of the safety plan for the construction stage of the projects. Workplace injuries can occur despite the best-laid plans. When they do, victims can rely on the Oklahoma workers’ compensation insurance program to cover their medical expenses and those who suffered temporary disability will be eligible for a percentage of lost wages. The benefits claims process could be challenging, but the help of an experienced workers’ comp attorney can simplify it.