Earlier this month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it was recommending that a Gainesville, Georgia recycling plant be fined upwards of $100,000 for several alleged serious safety violations. According to a recent news report documenting OSHA’s decision to levy the fines, the violations involved apparent amputation hazards, fire hazards, and a failure to implement a noise-reduction monitoring policy.
In all, OSHA noted 21 alleged serious errors and another three other-than-serious violations. Apparently, several dangerous machines did not have the required guards to prevent a worker’s hand or arm from getting caught up in the machine and potentially amputated. Additionally, the employer allegedly failed to provide all employees with personal protective clothing.
An OSHA representative told reporters that these alleged violations are “preventable by taking basic safety precautions.” However, the company’s alleged failure to meet these basic requirements increased the likelihood of a serious or fatal workplace injury.
Dangerous Workplaces in Georgia
Some jobs are inherently more dangerous than others. As a general rule, Georgia employers are responsible to make sure that they provide a safe working environment for their employees. To be sure, most employers take the necessary precautions to ensure a safe workplace. However, even when all precautions are taken, sometimes accidents still happen.
Suffering an on-the-job injury can put an injured worker in a difficult position. Often, the worker needs medical attention, and they may need to take time off to ensure that they are able to safely recover before returning to work. However, at the same time, an injured worker may not want to be seen as a difficult employee in the eyes of his employer. The Georgia workers’ compensation law provides injured workers with a solution to that problem.
Under the workers’ compensation program, an injured worker can make a claim through their employer’s workers’ compensation policy, which most private employers in Georgia are required to carry. Indeed, the sole purpose of a workers’ compensation policy is to provide benefits to injured workers while they recover from their workplace injuries. Importantly, injured workers are not generally required to prove that their employer was at fault for the accident. Depending on the type of injury, workers’ compensation benefits may be available on a long-term basis. Additionally, in some cases, death benefits can be paid to a deceased worker’s family.
Have You Been Injured on the Job?
If you or a loved one has recently been injured in a Georgia workplace accident, you may be eligible for compensation while you recover from your injuries. Georgia lawmakers implemented the workers’ compensation program to help injured workers and their employers come to a mutually beneficial resolution to a workplace injury. The skilled Georgia workers’ compensation attorneys at J. Franklin Burns, PC have the relevant experience and knowledge necessary to help their clients seek the benefits they need and deserve. Call 404-920-4708 to set up a free consultation with a dedicated workers’ compensation attorney today.
