Dec 6, 2021
What is Considered an Occupational Hazard for My Job?
Understanding Workplace Hazards
Every workplace comes with hazards that may be unique to your working environment and tasks. For example, the potential dangers on a construction site will be significantly different from those in a healthcare setting. But how do you know what is an occupational hazard in your workplace? Read on to learn more.
Kinds of Occupational Hazards
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), five categories of hazards may be present, including:
- Safety: anything that has the potential to injure a worker.
- Chemical: potential toxins or chemicals in the workplace.
- Biological: diseases, blood, fungi, animals/insects.
- Physical: can cause harm without physical contact, like sunlight, radiation, noise, etc.
- Ergonomic: related to bodily strain and repetitive stress (ex: heavy lifting).
Knowing how to identify potential hazards among these categories accurately and assess the damages that could be caused is a crucial component of any workplace. In certain industries, like construction, employers should openly discuss this during the hiring process and before tasks are started.
Furthermore, employees should know that they have a right to file a health and safety complaint with OSHA about significant hazards that have a higher possibility of harm. This can also be done if you believe that your employer is not following OSHA standards for hazard identification, communication, or remedying these issues.
Questions? Call The Law Offices of Nathaniel F. Hansford, LLC
The experienced attorneys at The Law Offices of Nathaniel F. Hansford, LLC are committed to workplace safety by holding negligent business owners accountable for the injuries suffered by employees. If you were injured in a workplace accident and are facing backlash from your employer or require a hearing, contact a member of our team to advocate for your rights. We handle cases throughout Georgia and Alabama and are prepared to assist you from start to finish.
Multilingual consultations are available by calling (770) 741-2825 or filling out this short form.
