Falls can lead to serious injuries and lengthy downtime for the victims as well as mounting expenses for the employers, including the cost of medical compensation and the losses caused by decreased morale and productivity. Employers in California should have a fall prevention program in place, then, that perfectly aligns with OSHA regulations. OSHA says that a good prevention program depends on three things: planning, providing and training.
Hazard assessments and the right equipment
The planning stage should include a hazard assessment regarding every sort of project workers engage in. Workers must, of course, be given the right safety gear, such as harnesses, and the proper ladders. Ladder-related falls can be especially severe. The hospitalization rate for this type of fall is triple that of the average injury.
The training aspect is fairly self-explanatory. It should cover OSHA regulations on fall prevention, practices and equipment. There should be a supervisor on-site to make sure workers are staying safe once they are on a ladder or scaffolding.
Human error to blame for many falls
This last part is important because even the most well-trained employee can become negligent. A person may rush through a job or work while impaired by fatigue. Ultimately, employers need to create a safety-oriented culture where workers do not feel tempted to become complacent and take risks.
A lawyer for workers’ compensation claims
If you suffered a fall on the job and are going to file a workers’ comp claim, you may want to retain legal assistance. Employers have the right to deny payment if victims were being negligent, for example, though negligence does not bar recovery. Still, you would have to mount an appeal in that case, and having a lawyer on your side may make things easier. An attorney may explain when it would be good to settle a case.