How Safety Inspections Can Prevent Work Injuries - St. Louis Lawyers

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that all businesses perform routine safety inspections, however it is not mandatory for all employers. Businesses in which workers have to perform more dangerous jobs or work with hazardous materials and machinery are required to comply with more stringent regulations and perform routine inspections to ensure a safe working environment for workers. Irrespective of whether or not it is mandatory for the business to perform routine safety inspections, they can be held liable for worker injuries if OSHA believes that they have failed to take appropriate measures that are considered reasonable to reduce injury risks. Our St. Louis worker compensation lawyers believe that routine safety inspections can prevent injuries and save lives.

Equipment that requires regular safety inspections

With regular safety inspections on machinery, employers can identify problems at an early stage, before they become a hazard to workers. In spite of this, many employers neglect routine inspection in order to save money. OSHA mandates worksites and facilities that operate certain types of machinery to perform routine inspections and make timely repairs to the equipment.

Equipment which requires regular inspection include:

• Cranes and derricks
• Welding, cutting and brazing equipment
• Power presses and forging equipment
• Powered platforms and lifts
• Fire and chemical extinguishers
• Commercial vehicles
• Any equipment that has been modified from its original manufactured design

OSHA Safety Compliance Requirements

In order to ensure compliance with routine safety inspections, OSHA requires businesses to have a designated safety officer whose duty is to carry out regular safety inspections and maintain records of all the measures the company has adopted to ensure workplace safety. The safety officer is required to document safety meetings, maintenance records, training sessions, and any breaches that have occurred.

If you have been injured in a workplace accident that you think occurred because of the employer’s failure to carry out routine safety inspections, you should obtain the safety records quickly. This is important, because it is possible for the employer to falsify the safety records to avoid any liability for the accident, so you should get the records, before they can be tempered with. These records can be helpful to your attorney, who can use them to determine if the employer has anything to hide or has a history of non-compliance.

The biggest reason why OSHA has made routine inspection of certain facilities and equipment mandatory is that employers tend not to regulate themselves. They are more than tempted to save on any costs they may incur on safety inspections and regular maintenance, even if that means putting their workers’ lives at risk.

Nearly all Missouri workers who are injured on the job are entitled to receive workers compensation benefits. However, in some cases, the workers may find it difficult to get the benefits they are entitled to under Missouri law. In such cases, it is extremely important to seek legal help from an experienced attorney.

If you have been injured on the job, call (314) 361-4300 for a free consultation with a St. Louis workers comp attorney from the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann. We have over 20 years of experience protect the rights of injured Missouri workers. We can do that same for you.