We Will Do The Worrying — And The Fighting — For You

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The scope of employee concern over workplace safety

On Behalf of | Apr 8, 2022 | Workplace Safety |

Workers in Minnesota expect and deserve to feel safe at work. However, many workers have expressed concern about workplace safety now more than ever.

What are workers saying about safety in the workplace?

A study conducted to explore how workers view safety at their places of employment revealed that many employees are very concerned for their safety at work. Employees 18 years and older revealed that they believe their employers are obligated to protect their workers. This even extends to employees who work remotely. Workers polled stated that they worry about their safety whether working or traveling for work.

What are the biggest safety concerns of workers?

The report continued by revealing the top safety concerns workers have in their places of employment. Employees stated that their biggest safety concern revolves around their health. This is especially relevant to frontline workers and those who work in the health care field.

Workers also fear for their safety due to extreme weather. This is a serious concern that often affects employees who work in factories. For example, in Kentucky in 2021, there was a tornado on its way, but employees who worked in a candle factory were ordered to stay at work even after the first warning came about the weather conditions.

Crime is a huge concern for workers in many industries. People fear for their physical safety, especially when working at stores where theft and robbery are more likely to happen. Workers have also expressed concerns about outages in the workplace that could put their safety at risk.

Workplace violence is another major safety concern among workers. In recent years, more incidents of workplace violence have occurred in the workplace. Employees might have differences of opinion and major disputes that aren’t addressed by their employers, which can manifest in acts of violence.

Workers who perform hands-on jobs have major concerns about accidents occurring. Electrical hazards, falling objects, and even vehicle accidents with forklifts are normal safety worries for such workers. Ergonomic issues are a safety concern of many workers, including office employees and nurses.

All workers deserve to feel safe on the job. If your employer failed to keep you safe, you might have to file for workers’ compensation.

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