GUEST POST FROM STEVE WILDER:
If you have employees working in the field…caregivers, social workers, educators, etc…the below article should be of special interest to you. It reinforces what we have been telling these agencies…they MUST develop plans and programs to keep their employees safe, and provide safety to their employees based on the (hopefully completed) job safety analysis. Just because the employee works in the field does not relieve us from this responsibility.
Please feel free to call if you have any questions.
Stay safe and stay in touch!
Steven S. Wilder, BA, CHSP, STS
@SorensenWilder
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U.S. Department of Labor Cites Billings Company
For Failing to Provide Safe Workplace for Employees
BILLINGS, MT – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a citation to Resource, Support & Development Inc., a Billings, Montana, nonprofit that provides support to adults with special needs, after investigators found the company failed to provide a safe workplace for its employees. Resource, Support & Development Inc. faces $11,641 in proposed penalties.
OSHA investigators determined that employees suffered head, neck, and torso injuries after being assaulted by residents with histories of violent behavior. The Agency cited the company for one serious violation for failing to furnish a workplace free from recognized hazards.
“All employers have a legal responsibility to provide a safe workplace,” said Art Hazen, OSHA Area Office Director in Billings. “This employer should have monitored and assessed the workplace to ensure employees were properly protected and trained.”
The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education, and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.