The
U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is instituting a new rule which
aims to help employees, employers and the government stay abreast of serious
workplace accidents. It is requiring companies to notify the agency whenever an
employee is hospitalized for an on-the-job injury or suffers an amputation or
the loss of an eye at work. Currently, Health Briefs notes that companies only
have to notify OSHA when a work accident kills a worker or at least workers are
hospitalized. So why are some companies upset about this rule change?
The
new rules take effect January 1, 2015. Some industry groups are already annoyed
with the new reporting mandate saying it will burden businesses without really
helping the employees. However, when these smaller and significant injuries
occur at the worksite, it is often due to some safety protocols not being
followed. If the new rule can save even one employee’s limb, eye or life, it
well worth the extra documentation and paperwork. Health Briefs TV thinks that
it is important to identify and address safety hazards in all workplaces before
lives are lost and preventable injuries occur. The new rule will also spur
companies into better compliance on safety issues which is needed throughout the
country. Quite frankly, it’s about time this new OSHA workplace rule is put in
place. Workplace safety can be pushed aside in the desire to make money. But
there is nothing more valuable than the health and safety of every worker in
every industry.
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