Top Workplace Safety Violations Affecting Your Job in Cherry Hill, NJ

Compliance is costly. It’s not uncommon for New Jersey employers to cut certain corners on safety to avoid expensive repairs and maximize profits. While most safety violations are industry-specific, the experienced workers’ comp lawyers at Matarazzo & Lubcher commonly encounter the following workplace safety violations leading to serious on-the-job injuries.

If you believe your employer violated specific workplace safety laws, contact our experienced NJ accident litigators.

Common Health and Safety Violations

Both federal and state regulations address workplace safety in specific high-risk industries, including construction, commercial driving, and healthcare. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the federal agency responsible for investigating and regulating workplace safety in the United States. After conducting worksite inspections across all industries, OSHA compiled a list of the top 10 workplace safety violations leading to preventable employee injuries and illnesses. The most common safety violations included the following:

Help Prevent Falls

Falls, including elevated falls and slip-and-fall accidents, are the leading cause of preventable workplace injuries. Fall-related safety violations included:

• Unsafe and unsound walking and working surfaces
• Lack of structural integrity
• Unprotected sides and edges (no guardrail)
• Holes and other dangerous conditions
• Dangerous slopes
• Lack of safety training
• Failure to provide safe ladders and scaffolding

Stay Alert Around Dangerous Machinery

Failing to protect employees from dangerous heavy machinery also causes serious workplace injuries. These violations often involved fire protection failures, unsafe modifications, lack of machine guarding, and poor maintenance. Employees injured by dangerous equipment can claim workers’ compensation benefits from their employers and pursue personal injury damages against manufacturers.

Lack of Protective Equipment

OSHA also noted that many violations involved an employer’s failure to provide employees with proper face, eye, and respiratory protection. Respiratory illnesses such as COPD, mesothelioma, COVID-19, black lung, asthma, and other occupational lung diseases can be both disabling and fatal. An attorney can help you obtain workers’ compensation benefits in New Jersey for work-related illnesses, even those developing years later.

Recovering Compensation for Injuries from Safety Violations

Construction workers have the highest rate of workplace injuries related to direct safety violations, but even office employees can suffer from catastrophic injuries at work. Workers’ compensation claims are generally an employee’s only remedy for on-the-job injuries resulting from negligence.

However, exceptions may apply if evidence indicates that your employer intentionally violated state or federal industry safety laws. Intentional violations may support direct personal injury claims against an employer. Construction workers may also bring separate claims against subcontractors or job site owners for safety failures that result in disabling workplace injuries.

Our Attorneys Prioritize Your Workplace Safety

Many workplace injuries are preventable if employers strictly follow the federal and state safety regulations applicable to their industry. However, most employers cut corners.

At Matarazzo & Lubcher, we analyze the accident to determine whether your employer violated OSHA regulations. Schedule a free and confidential workplace injury consultation with their dedicated New Jersey legal team today online or by calling (856) 460-5805.