Can you refuse to work in a dangerous situation?

If your employer in Minneapolis doesn’t take workplace safety seriously, they might pressure you to work in hazardous areas or put yourself at risk. Many employees don’t realize that they can refuse to work under certain conditions. If you meet all the qualifications, you can refuse to work and pursue legal action if your boss tries to threaten you.

When can you refuse to work?

No job is worth sacrificing your health and safety over. Under OSHA regulations, you can refuse to work if you’ve asked your employer to remove the hazard and they refused. You’ll also have to prove that you’re genuinely concerned about your workplace safety and not simply trying to get out of doing the job. Additionally, you’ll have to be dealing with a serious hazard that needs to be corrected right away and can’t wait for an OSHA inspection.

If you meet all these requirements, your employer can’t legally retaliate against you for refusing to work. For example, your employer might threaten to fire you if you don’t complete the task. You can call OSHA and report the issue so they can launch an investigation. If you’re injured due to your employer’s negligence, you can also hire a personal injury attorney.

What should you do if you’re injured on the job?

While you’re responsible for staying safe on the job, your employer is also responsible for creating a safe working environment. If they fail to do this, you might be able to hold them responsible. An attorney could help you pursue legal action against your employer for creating a dangerous situation. If your employer fires you or threatens your job, your attorney could also hold them accountable for retaliation. You might be able to get justice for back injuries, head trauma, slip-and-falls and other work-related accidents.