In order to help employers best protect their workers, OSHA has launched the Safe and Sound Campaign. It urges business owners to evaluate their health and safety programs in an effort to eliminate workplace dangers and other hazards that can lead to occupational injuries and fatalities.
An OSHA official stated that by thoroughly pinpointing and dealing with workplace hazards, employers are not only making their job sites safer for their employees, but they may also be able to allocate money that would have been spent on workers’ compensation claims to expanding and creating more jobs. In fact, according to reports, businesses end up paying $1 billion a week on workers’ comp claims due to the more than 4 million people who are seriously injured or become sick annually because of their jobs.
Although there are different approaches for creating high-quality workplace safety and health programs, they generally contain three important factors: a systematic find-and-fix approach, employee participation and management leadership. It’s crucial that both business owners and workers routinely examine, identify and rid the workplace of any hazards that could potentially cause illnesses or injuries. When employees participate in this effort, it encourages them to come up with better solutions for workplace hazards, which, in turn, typically leads to greater job satisfaction and better productivity. A successful safety and health program also requires management leadership or leaders who are committed to creating, preserving and continually improving the regulations as well as providing any necessary resources.
Like workplace hazards, discrimination at the job can harm employees. It is also illegal in Pennsylvania for an employer to discriminate against a person because of his or her religion, color, sex, race, national origin, age or disability. Those who believe they are victims of workplace discrimination might want to speak with a local attorney for advice on how to proceed.
