Some jobs really need a warning label to alert employees of hazardous conditions long before you hire on to do the work. Hazards in the workplace can be a common occurrence, but certain jobs seem to be magnets for danger and mayhem. The point of having a job is not to lose work because of an injury or worse be disfigured in some way that was totally avoidable.
The work environment you operate in should be governed by comprehensive safety standards and best practices for everyone’s benefit, not just the benefit to the bosses bottom line. The following are four hazards to prepare for when working a dangerous job.
Electrical Issues
Does the floor of your work environment contain a long series of daisy chained power strips? Maybe wires are tangled in a huge mess, or the insulators have been worn or stripped off over the years. As a rule of thumb, this is a recipe for disaster waiting to happen. Someone not familiar with how these strips work may not realize they have too much plugged into them. You may want to make sure that these wires and strips can manage the load being placed on them and are not a huge fire hazard waiting to engulf your work space.
Dangerous Forklift Operation
The greatest hazard to operating a forklift is not lack of experience. While that can be troubling, rushing forklift drivers to operate at a furious pace in a warehouse is when things start to become unsafe for everyone involved. Loads can be too much, they can slip and fall on someone, or you could hit a rack or wall in transit or accidentally run the forklift into someone. When operating a forklift, it is important to slow down to a normal pace and make sure you are in total control of the forklift operation so no one gets hurt.
Working at Heights
Another hazard to be aware of is working at great heights. Sure, you know that there is a risk of falling and breaking bones. But, there are also anchoring standards, scaffolding standards and other safety protocols that need to be followed so you do not have an accident even with safety gear in use.
Chemicals
Chemical substances can be a huge danger in a work environment. This is especially the case if you do not take great care in properly labeling chemical substances being used or stored around the work site. Not paying attention to expiration dates can be hazardous for you and others as well—especially if a chemical you are using degrades into something volatile and explosive. The proper disposing of chemicals can also be a potential cause for concern, because improper disposal of a dangerous chemical could do harm to you and potentially others as well.
An Injury at Work
When it comes to an injury at work, you will need to take appropriate action. The best way to learn what that appropriate action is would be to read your company’s policies and procedures manual. Proper guidelines governing what to do in the case of an injury should be followed to the letter, unless the policy in some way hinders your legal rights as an injured employee. If you are ever in doubt, it is best to consult with an attorney like The Law Offices of Andrew Farmer PLLC or someone similar.
Hazards in the workplace are lingering around every corner. No matter how safe a business owner tries to make your place of work, there will always be some potential for harm somewhere in the workplace. From the hot coffee in the break room to the defective safety equipment that should have been replaced years ago, businesses can be a risky places to work.
