Over the last 40 years, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has reportedly played an important role in reducing the number of workplace injuries and fatalities in the U.S. by more than 60 percent.

Over the last 40 years, OSHA has been effective at reducing workplace injuries and deaths by more than 60 percent.

In fact, since OSHA was created in 1970:

• The U.S. workforce has more than doubled in size.
• The number of workplace fatalities that occur each year has decreased by more than 61 percent.
• The number of recorded workplace incidents, which include workplace injuries and illnesses, has decreased from 11 per 100 workers (in 1972) to about 4 per 100 workers (in 2010).

OSHA Standards Promoting a Safer Workplace

One of the primary reasons that OSHA has been so effective at reducing the number of workplace injuries and deaths over the past four decades or so is that it has been focused on enforcing specific safety standards and regulations aimed at protecting workers. Among these OSHA standards that have been pivotal in improving workplace safety include:

• The use of personal protective equipment – While the personal protective equipment necessary for workers varies according to the nature of a job or industry, in general, such equipment tends to include helmets, safety googles, safety suits or clothing, etc.
• The implementation of process safety management (PSM) – This is specifically for employers that use at least 10,000 pounds of combustible materials in their processes. The goal with this OSHA standard is to reduce the risk of explosions, fires and exposure to potentially toxic materials.
• OSHA inspections – The randomization of OSHA inspections has significantly increased employers’ compliance with essential safety regulations. In fact, workers’ compensation claims reportedly decreased by nearly 10 percent when OSHA officially instituted its random inspections of workplaces.

Despite all that OSHA has done over the last four decades, however, some employers still refuse to comply with all of the necessary safety regulations and, consequently, put their workers at risk of sustaining workplace accidents, injuries and death.

Colorado Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at the Law Office of Michael P. Dominick

If you have sustained a workplace injury and are considering (or in the process of) filing a workers’ compensation claim, you cannot rely upon your employer or insurance companies to look out for your best interests. In fact, both your employer and insurance companies will be more focused on their own bottom lines instead of your current and future wellbeing. This can make the system adversarial for injured workers and potentially even put them in situations in which their legitimate workers’ compensation claims are undercut or even flat-out denied.

In such cases, it’s essential that injured workers contact the Colorado workers’ compensation lawyers at the Law Office of Michael P. Dominick. Our legal professionals are experienced at going up against corporate lawyers and insurance companies, and we have a proven track record of success when it comes to securing our Clients the maximum possible compensation for their injuries and financial losses.

Contact Us Today

For a thorough evaluation of your case, along with expert advice on the best manner in which to move forward, call us at (303) 447-2644.