What Should I Do If Safety Is Being Ignored At My Workplace?

Must read

David Hucks
David Huckshttps://myrtlebeachsc.com
David Hucks is a 12th generation descendant of the area we now call Myrtle Beach, S.C. David attended Coastal Carolina University and like most of his family, has never left the area. David is the lead journalist at MyrtleBeachSC.com

Workplace safety is an overwhelmingly important issue that affects both employees and employers in almost every way. It is the responsibility of employers to provide a safe working environment for their employees, but unfortunately, not all employers take this responsibility seriously – or at least as seriously as they should.

If you feel that safety is being ignored at your workplace, it is important to take action to protect yourself and your colleagues. In this post, we will discuss what steps you can take if you feel that safety is being ignored at your workplace, so that you can both seek to make systemic change, and also consider the compensation you may be entitled to if forced into unsafe circumstances.

Raising Your Concerns Is Crucial

The first step you should take is raising your concerns to your manager or the appropriate safety personnel, verbally and in writing. Document any conversations you have. Talk to your supervisor or human resources department about the specific safety issues you have observed and how they are impacting your ability to do your job safely.

Provide examples and be specific. It is important to be clear and concise about the issues so that your employer can fully understand and take appropriate action. Additionally, try to provide solutions to the problem and suggest ways to improve the safety of the workplace. Also look through your safety handbook to see what rules this may contravene. If you’re unsure to step forward, it’s your right to refuse work that may put you in harm’s way.

Document The Issues Carefully

If your employer does not take your concerns seriously or if the safety issues continue, it is important to document the issues. Keep a log of the specific safety issues you have observed, the date and time they occurred, and the names of any witnesses in your time able to back you up. This documentation will be helpful if you need to file a complaint with a government agency or take legal action. Additionally, ensure that you document any correspondence with your employer or human resources department about your safety concerns. At the end point, your case is so much issue to pursue with a firm like Sokolove Law if excellent paper records have been kept.

Report To Government Agencies

If your employer continues to ignore your concerns and the safety issues persist, you may need to report the issues to government agencies that are responsible for enforcing workplace safety laws. Depending on your industry, you may need to report to OSHA, HSE in the UK, or other government agencies relevant to your trade. 

These agencies have the power to investigate complaints of safety violations and take appropriate action against employers who break the law. When reporting, ensure to have your documentation handy, to make the process smoother. It’s never a nice feeling to become a whistleblower on the place you’d work, but we’d argue that becoming injured isn’t all too enjoyable either. Your actions may even save lives. That in itself can be more than worth it.

With this advice, you’ll know how to proceed if you think safety is being ignored at your workplace.

More articles

Latest article

- Advertisement -