Afraid to report unacceptable safety conditions at your work site? OSHA can protect you from retaliation.
It is a known fact that many workers are forced to work in unsafe environments. Most companies certainly strive to provide safe and healthy working conditions for their employees. However, there are some places that are unwilling to make worker safety a top priority. If you know you are in a situation where your safety and others who work with you are at risk, you may have fears of losing your job if you bring it to anyone’s attention.
The stigma of being a whistleblower is not what it used to be in the past. In fact, OSHA has a program in place that protects your rights as an employee. Such provisions include:
- The right to file a safety complaint to OSHA
- Protection from employer retaliation, such as termination
- The right to participate in OSHA inspections and talk to the inspector
- The right to review employer exposure and/or injury records
OSHA has fined many corporations due to the unfounded termination of employees who report safety violations. It is simply against the law, and in the end, costs the company more than just fixing the safety problem itself.
Keep in mind that sometimes it may not be malicious intent by your employer. Even more, they may not be aware of safety issues that concern you. So, how do you approach this situation? Read this informative article that gives you tips and advice about talking to superiors with confidence.
All in all, there are many options for shop and factory workers to be part of the solution in making their job safe. Click on the links below if you have questions or want to learn more about safety in the workplace.
http://www.whistleblowers.gov/index.html
https://www.osha.gov/workers/index.html
OSHA NEWS: http://bit.ly/2bX9j1E
