All workplaces and employers are subject to safety regulations. These regulations exist to protect workers from getting injured or putting themselves at risk of injury. Unfortunately, companies sometimes put profits before worker safety and take shortcuts which lead to workers getting injured. There are some common safety violations that workers should be aware of because if they lead to injuries, workers will have a case for worker’s compensation.

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Inadequate Fall Protection

Falls are more common than a lot of people think. They are the third most-common cause of injuries and the second-leading cause of deaths at construction sites. Falls occur due to several reasons including uneven floors, obstructions, unsafe railings, and more.

Faulty, Dangerous and Defective Scaffolding

Faulty, dangerous, and defective scaffolding is a leading cause of falls and fall-related injuries in the workplace, especially at construction sites. Additionally, workers should be aware of the dangers that objects falling from scaffolding pose.

Many scaffolding-related accidents involve workers slipping atop the scaffolding, supports or planks collapsing, or falling objects.

Not Providing Proper Lifting Machinery

If you constantly lift heavy objects at work, your employer is supposed to teach you how to lift properly during orientation and provide machinery that will help you move heavy objects. Repetitive lifting of heavy objects can lead to a back injury, which is one of the leading causes of hospital visits by workers. 

If you have not been provided adequate machinery to lift or move heavy objects and sustain a work-related back injury, you might have a case for compensation. The best thing to do here is to visit a doctor, document any treatments you get, and talk to a lawyer to see if you can get compensation.

Inadequate Respiratory Protection

Inadequate respiratory protection poses a lot of risks for workers including lung damage, burns of the respiratory system, cancer, and even death. Although employers are supposed to provide workers with adequate protection, many of them fail to do so.

Forklift and Truck Accidents

Truck and forklift accidents are common in buildings where workers need to move large objects. These include large retail stores warehouses, construction sites, and any other locations where trucks and forklifts are used. 

Although they are quite common, accidents involving trucks and forklifts can be prevented if employees know and adhere to safety rules and regulations.

Electrical Accidents

Electrical accidents can involve faulty equipment, components, and wiring techniques. All of these can lead to electrocutions, injuries, and even death. These types of accidents can impact any worker whose job involves working with electricity or any equipment.

Machinery Accidents

Any worker working with power tools is at risk of these types of accidents. Power tools and machinery can cause injuries of varying severity depending on the machine or power tool involved. Safety violations that include failure to install machine guards or to supply proper ear and eye protection are the main causes of these types of accidents.

Work-related injuries happen all the time and although many of them can be attributed to safety violations, some of them involve improper training or inexperienced employees. It is therefore important that all managers and supervisors train their employees, talk to them about safety rules and regulations, and ensure they follow them.