The United States Department of Labor defines certain workplace safety responsibilities that are applicable to employers in Iowa. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets the rules with which the companies must comply.
Here are just some of the workplace safety regulations for Des Moines employers.
- Employers must provide workers with safety training to discharge their duties with minimal risk. They must impart safety training in a language that all workers can understand.
- Employers must provide workers with safety gear and personal protective equipment, appropriate to the risk that the worker faces.
- Employers must provide workers a safe workplace that is free from any hazards that they cannot reasonably avoid.
- Employers must comply with all of the rules and regulations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
- Employers must frequently examine and inspect workplace conditions to ensure that these are in compliance with federal safety standards.
- Employers must ensure that workers have access to safe tools, machinery and equipment.
- Employers must place warning signs and other alerts prominently to warn employees about hazards in the workplace.
- Des Moines companies must implement a hazard communication program and train employees about identifying and managing all of the chemical hazards in the workplace.
- Employers must make arrangements to conduct medical examinations as required under federal standards.
- Employers must post the OSHA poster in a visible place in the workplace. The sign will remind workers of all of their rights under federal law.
- Employers must also report to the nearest OSHA office, any fatal accident or any accident that results in hospitalization of a minimum of three employees, within eight hours after the crash.
- Employers must maintain proper and accurate records of worker injuries and illnesses.
Employers must comply with all of these regulations to ensure optimal safety in the workplace. OSHA has designed these rules and regulations in order to provide not just protection of workers against injuries and accidents, but also proper recordkeeping and documentation.
Federal laws also protect workers against any retaliation, when a worker complains about workplace hazards under its whistleblower protection laws. If you are a Des Moines worker who has suffered in the injuries in the workplace, you are eligible for workers’ compensation claim payments that kick in soon after the injury.
These benefits must cover your medical expenses, lost income, and other damages. If you have not yet begun receiving payments, speak to a Des Moines workers’ compensation attorney at Walker Billingsley and Bair.
