Illinois is one of many industrial states in the country. The construction industry, transportation, agricultural, and fish and gaming industries are top work areas that also unfortunately run high numbers of on the job death or injuries. A leading cause of accidents and fatalities at construction sites is frequently construction negligence.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration released a new report that has made workers and employers in the state of Illinois sit up and take notice. The report is a record-keeping program that attempts to call attention to the situation of temporary worker injuries and illnesses. It means to ensure that both host employer and staffing agencies are held accountable for recording injuries of temporary workers on the OSHA log.
The report represents a large-scale effort to provide information on the importance of training and enforcement of guidelines so that temporary workers are safe on the job. The project purports to identify the responsible parties for injuries on the site. It attempts to provide information so they understand they must take action to be more efficient in preventing accidents.
The current projects is supported by the American Staffing Association, which aligns itself with sound OSHA guidelines. Preliminary findings report that most temporary workers suffer accidents or injuries during the first week on their job. OSHA’s initiative speaks to the necessity of providing the same kind of safety training for temporary workers that existing workers undergo.
Illinois has a high incidence of work-related accidents. Current trends across the state follow the country-wide pattern indicating the number of workers who suffer fatalities on the job has risen. These accidents can be the result of construction negligence. If you are a temporary or existing worker on a construction site, or on any kind of job that involves hazardous circumstances, the new OSHA guidelines are critical for you. Injuries and illnesses often involve vital organs that must be safe now and for the rest of your life. To preserve this safety, you have rights under law. There are people and agencies that can help you ascertain what these rights are, and keep you safe from harm while on the job.
Source: Construction Equipment Guide, “OSHA Releases New Educational Bulletin on Injury Recording Requirements” No author given, Mar. 25, 2014
