Workplace Safety in New York

Workplace safety in New York is an issue that all of the people living and working in the state should be interested in. You spend a great deal of your time at your workplace, probably at least 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week or more. For this reason alone, workplace safety in New York is extremely important.

The workplace in New York is different from what it was in your father’s day. It used to be that a manufacturer’s moving materials or production lines were the primary focus. Most of this involved the shipping, receiving or storage area of a building. The thing that businesses depended on to produce their product was repetitive action or motion.

The workplace of today in New York goes far beyond an assembly line. The workplace of today involves the streets and highways that crisscross the United States.

This is the case in New York. Your workplace can be in a building or an office, or it can also be on the streets and highways of New York.

What constitutes a workplace in New York? How is it defined? A workplace is by definition, “a place where commerce is conducted.” Your workplace is anywhere work is done. This means a motor vehicle, as well as a stationary place like a building or an office can be your workplace.

What does workplace safety in New York refer to? It has to do with the working environment where you work. Workplace safety encompasses all of the things that deal with your health, safety and well being while you work.

Workplace safety in New York involves many things. It deals with: 

§  Unsafe working conditions or processes,

§  Drug and alcohol.

§  Workplace violence

§  Environmental hazards

Nationally, workplace safety is protected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). There are three stated goals that form the cornerstone of OSHA’s regulations and policies. These goals are:

• Improve the safety and health for all workers, as evidenced by fewer hazards, reduced exposures, and fewer injuries, illnesses and fatalities
• Secure public confidence through excellence in the development and delivery of OSHA’s programs and services.
• Change workplace culture to increase employer and worker awareness of, commitment to and involvement in safety and health.

The federal guidelines of OSHA are complemented by state regulations in New York. In New York, the New York State Department of Labor complements the federal guidelines of OSHA. The Division of Safety and Health (DOSH) has the responsibility of promoting safety and health in the New York workplace. Among other responsibilities, the New York State Department of Labor develops and enforces state labor laws and health standards.

The goal of these state regulations is to promote and
provide a healthy and safe workplace environment in New York. A workplace that is free of
hazards that can lead to injury or death. 

How important is workplace safety in New York? What can be done to improve and enhance workplace safety in the state? These are all important questions regarding workplace safety in New York.

Workplace safety in New York is of paramount importance. The goal of workplace safety and health laws is to establish regulations that eliminate personal illnesses and injuries from happening in the New York workplace.

How important workplace safety in New York is can also be seen not only in the direct costs of injury and illness in the workplace, but also in the indirect costs of an injury that take into effect the sometimes immeasurable costs of lost production and efficiency on a company-wide basis. Some of these items are:

• Wages for lost time of uninjured workers

• Replacement or repair of damaged equipment or materials
• Training replacement workers
• Overtime to make up for loss of production.

Workplace safety in New York is important because your safety and comfort are needed in order for you to do your job well. If you feel anxious, unsafe, threatened or worried your production will be hurt.

Workplace safety in New York is also important because of who it affects. Not only the injured worker, but family and friends are also affected. Friends and family can be devastated by a death or debilitating injury in the workplace.

Human resource is the most important resource that an employer has. The importance of workplace safety in New York can also be seen in the loss of a worker either temporarily or permanently.

What can be done to improve and enhance workplace safety in New York in light of how important this issue is? Are there steps that can be taken? Can things by implemented and established that will promote workplace safety in New York? Some of the things that can be done are:

Safety training programs need to be set up if they are not already in place

• Safety policies and procedures should be implemented
• An ongoing study and analysis of accidents should be implemented to see where the greatest risks and likelihood of accidents are so they can be prevented.
• The formation of a safety committee will demonstrate the importance of workplace safety to your employer
• Workplace violence must be dealt with and stopped
• Safety goals need to be set up that show the importance of workplace safety

Workplace safety in New York may be much more than a passing interest to you. You or a friend or loved one may have been injured at the workplace in New York. Difficulties or problems have been encountered in dealing with the injuries and your employer.

What can you do? Where do you go for help? Who can help you?

You or your friend or loved one may need the help and services of a legal professional. You need the help of a legal professional who knows and specializes in employment law in New York. You need a workers’ compensation attorney.