A. Raymond Hamrick Construction Law Blog on Lawyers.com

The statistics are alarming, but yet we shouldn’t be surprised. The daily risks and dangers that construction workers face are tremendous. From operating heavy equipment, dealing with toxic and flammable chemicals and working at high elevations it’s a wonder more workers aren’t injured or killed every year.

Employees working in any industry face dangers on a daily basis. However, there are some occupations that are obviously more dangerous and thus ultimately produce a higher rate of injuries and fatalities. Construction workers fall under that description and according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (www.osha.gov) there were 1,192 construction site fatalities and 6.2 cases of construction site injuries per 100 full-time workers in 2005.

Employee Rights

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was designed to minimize workplace dangers and put into practice safety programs for employees in all industries. A few of the rights afforded by OSHA include:

• Employers should have copies of regulations, rules and standards available for their employees
• Right to exposure and medical records
• Arrange for an OSHA representative to carry out an inspection if threat of dangerous conditions exist
• Remain anonymous regarding filing a complaint against their employer
• Remain safe from action by employer if a complaint is made to OSHA

Some of the employer duties under OSHA make perfect and logical sense to construction workers, who deal with hazards every day. Some of these obligations are:

• Workplace free from obvious dangers
• Make known to employees OSHA health and safety standards
• Hang OSHA poster that outlines employees rights under the OSHA Act in a common area
• Enforce a communication plan that reviews safety issues for products and materials in the workplace
• Notify employees of their exposure and medical records on a regular basis and upon request by employee

Whether you work on a large construction site, in a manufacturing plant, a retail store or a small business, there are dangers in your workplace. Fortunately, OSHA has rules and regulations to protect you. The next time you visit your company’s common area check the information posted on the bulletin boards and make sure the OSHA rules designed to protect you are posted.

This article is a courtesy of the Los Angeles construction law firm of Hamrick & Evans, 818-763-5292, www.hamricklawfirm.com.