Most people in Iowa know the importance of workplace safety because occupational hazards exist in all industries. Auto body shops are examples of dangerous workplaces. If you earn your income in this industry, you will face multiple safety hazards
Although most employers prioritize employee safety, this is not always the case. If safety protocols are not up to standard in your workplace, it might be sensible to gain some knowledge of potential risks that you will deal with every day.
The production industry in Iowa encompasses everything from the plastics to battery manufacturing, and each production facility has unique safety hazards. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration mandates that employers must inform employees of all the on-the-job dangers they will encounter. Unfortunately, many business owners do not comply. Whether it is equipment-related or weather-related hazards, you might need to look out for your own safety. Manufacturing and assembling products typically involves operating production equipment that poses multiple safety hazards. Then there is the inspection of finished items and moving them to the shipping department or other locations. It makes sense to attend all safety training sessions. Even if you have heard it all, one more reminder of the hazards might keep you vigilant and safe.
Typical hazards in manufacturing plants
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says the trucking industry is responsible for more work-related fatalities than any other occupation nationwide, including Iowa. Although a significant number of deaths in this industry result from accidents, the nature of their jobs causes many occupational injuries to commercial truck drivers.
If you earn your living hauling cargo across the country, you face multiple risks of injuries that can cause lost workdays and jeopardize your financial stability. Fortunately, safety agencies like OSHA and the Bureau of Labor Statistics gather data to identify the most common hazards and also provide tips on how to stay safe.
Warehouses in Iowa are typically hives of activity with too much to do and too little time. Inadequate resources and insufficient time often lead to cutting corners and taking shortcuts. Many employers focus on profits instead of employee safety, not realizing that soundly implemented safety standards typically improve the bottom line. After all, employers are responsible for employee safety and health.
If you work in a warehouse, you will benefit from becoming familiar with all the potential hazards. That will allow you the opportunity to take the necessary precautions and return home safely at the end of each day.
Even if you do your very best to be safe at work, you could still be unknowingly at risk for a serious injury. Some risk factors are simply out of your control. Workplace violence is a real and growing threat not just to your safety, but also to the safety of all workers in Iowa.
Like most people, you might associate workplace injuries with things like falls or faulty equipment. However, any injury you suffer while on the job typically counts as a workplace injury. This includes acts of violence like assault.
Workers in all industries in Iowa face safety hazards, but those who work with dangerous equipment are often at a higher risk. Landscaping is one of the jobs in which noncompliance with safety standards can have devastating consequences. As in any other work environment, you have a right as a landscaper to a safe work environment with adequate safety training and appropriate personal protective equipment.
Your job will undoubtedly require you to operate chainsaws, log splitters and other equipment that could trim hours off the projects. However, without proper training and safety standards, it could also trim years off your life. Your employer must ensure that you and all your co-workers are well-versed on the prevention of injuries.
There are few jobs as physically and mentally challenging as construction. If you work construction, you may find the work satisfying and rewarding, but not without its drawbacks. Perhaps you enjoy working outside in a variety of weather conditions, or you may dread when the Iowa weather turns extreme.
However, aside from these inconveniences, one of your greatest concerns about working construction may be falling from a height. While you may be at greater risk of numerous other injuries on the job, a fall can result in catastrophic, even fatal injuries. Unfortunately, statistics show that the rate of workers falling on construction sites continues to rise despite improvements in safety technology.
Your workplace injury came as a shock, as most accidents do. Suddenly, your world came to a halt while you went through hospitalization, a long recovery and physical therapy to regain strength and mobility. Fortunately, workers' compensation covered your medical bills and time off work. Nevertheless, your aim was to get back on your feet and back to your job as quickly as possible.
Perhaps you realized from the moment of the accident that your injuries would prevent you from returning to your previous job, or maybe it was the conclusion of your doctor after your treatment failed to return you to your former ability to function. Whatever the case, you may now be facing the challenge of finding a new line of work that your current limitations will allow you to perform.
Most employers in Iowa must carry workers' compensation insurance to provide financial assistance to employees who suffer work-related injuries. Regardless of whether you work in a meatpacking facility, factory, warehouse, construction site or another industry, the no-fault insurance system will have your back -- or will they?
Occupational illnesses or injuries can leave you without an income for weeks or even months. Your injuries could cause temporary or permanent disabilities that might jeopardize your ability to care for your family. If you face such a dire situation, you might have found out that there is no guarantee that you will receive workers' compensation benefits.
If you thought that only the excessive noise levels at your workplace caused your loss of hearing, you might be mistaken. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says ototoxicants can cause balance problems and hearing loss. Ototoxicants are certain types of chemicals to which many workers in Iowa are exposed.
If you work with solvents, pharmaceuticals or pesticides that contain ototoxicants, your hearing might be at risk. OSHA also warns that ototoxicity combined with excessive noise levels exacerbate the potential adverse effect on your hearing.
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