Rebuild Your Future After An Injury

Attorney Benjamin M. Salyers

The importance of safety measures in distribution facilities

| Sep 18, 2017 | Workers' Compensation

Working in distribution centers, warehouses and production facilities may expose Kentucky employees to a variety of different hazards. These dangers exist in many areas of the plants, making it vital for the facilities to adhere to the guidelines issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

According to OSHA, the leading causes of deaths and serious injuries at work are falls. Preventing falls in distribution centers is very important and may be accomplished by implementing specific safety features. Plants should use guardrail systems around openings in the floor and along the edges of platforms to help workers to avoid falling. They should also use safety nets so that workers who do fall land in the nets before hitting the levels below. Workers who must work at heights should always wear personal fall arrest systems.

To prevent same-level falls, the floors should have surfaces that have good grip. Work zones should be clearly defined so that workers do not accidentally wander into dangerous areas such as where forklifts are being used. Dock openings should have protections installed to keep workers from falling out of the open doors.

While it is impossible to prevent all workplace accidents, facilities can greatly reduce their incidence by strictly following the safety guidelines that are promulgated by OSHA. These regulations are in place to help to protect workers and to save lives. When workers are injured on the job, most have the right to file claims for workers’ compensation benefits with their employers’ workers’ compensation insurance carriers. In some cases, the employers or the carriers may try to dispute the claims. Workers’ compensation lawyers may help their clients to recover the benefits that they deserve for their losses. They may help them to recover their medical expenses, rehabilitation expenses and monthly disability payments to replace a percentage of their incomes.

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