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Fall protection regs are the most frequently violated

On Behalf of | Dec 4, 2017 | Construction Worker Injuries, Workers' Compensation |

In Minnesota, workers likely do not go to work with the thought that they might be injured. Unfortunately, workplace injury accidents are relatively common, causing thousands of injuries each year in workplaces across the nation.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is the federal agency that is tasked with regulating workplace safety and for enforcing its safety provisions. The agency tracks injuries that happen in workplaces every year. For the fiscal year of 2016 to 2017, OSHA reported that fall protection violations were the most frequently occurring in U.S. workplaces.

OSHA has issued fall protection regulations that employers must follow in order to protect their workers. When they do not implement the standards or do so incorrectly, workers are at greater risk of suffering fall-related injuries. According to OSHA, the agency issued more than 6,000 citations to employers from Oct. 1, 2016, to Sept. 30, 2017, for fall protection violations. It was the sixth year in a row that fall protection violations topped the list. Other violations that were in the top five included hazard communications violations, scaffolding violations, respiratory protection violations and lockout/tagout violations.

Safety regulations are meant to help prevent accidents that could result in the deaths or injuries of workers. When employers violate these laws, they risk the health and safety of their workers. Minnesota mandates that all employers provide workers’ compensation insurance coverage. If workers are injured while they are at work, they may apply for benefits through their employers’ insurance companies. Injured workers might want to consult with experienced workers’ compensation lawyers. The attorneys may assist their clients with correctly reporting their injury accidents and filing their claims. The attorneys may be able to litigate on their clients’ behalf if the employers attempt to dispute or deny their claims for workers’ compensation benefits.

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