Report Unsafe Equipment

by | Sep 20, 2021 | Environmental, Safety, Toolbox Talk, Transportation

Hazards exist in every workplace; prevent hazards by performing a hazard assessment and follow through to resolve any occurrence or recurrence. Sometimes accidents occur due to malfunctioning, defective, or missing machine parts or workers taking shortcuts or not following protocol. Ensure all safety issues are reported to the supervisor as soon as possible. All safety issues and accidents should be reported and followed up.

Discussion Points:
• How safe is the equipment in your workplace?
• Federal law entitles all workers to a safe workplace
• Report unsafe equipment to your supervisor
• The employer is required to inspect and maintain equipment used in the workplace
• If working conditions are unsafe, workers can file a complaint with OSHA without fear of retaliation

Discussion:
Accidents occur every day in the workplace. The cause of these accidents should be investigated, and where liability lies should be determined. During the investigation, several questions should be answered. This includes: What was the cause of the accident? Did the accident involve faulty equipment? If the cause was faulty equipment, was the manufacturer to blame? Did someone’s negligence lead to the accident? The employer is required by federal and state regulations to provide a safe environment for all workers. They must ensure safety equipment, power tools, machinery, and vehicles are inspected and maintained regularly. A hazard assessment should be performed to identify potential hazards, and all issues should be addressed as soon as possible to prevent injury. Management should implement a safety reporting procedure to identify problems when they arise and address them at that time. If it is determined that inspections and maintenance procedures are not followed, or working conditions are unsafe, workers can file a complaint with OSHA online, at the nearest OSHA office, or by calling 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) without fear of retaliation. It’s important to be as thorough as possible when performing a hazard assessment. It’s difficult to protect workers if you are unaware of potential or occurring hazards.

As always, stay safe out there!