The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently released a list of workplaces that have injury and illness rates that are much highter than the national average.  Will we see this list?  Will it make a difference?  Will these employers now do what they should to provide safe workplace environments for all, no matter what the financial cost?  Let's hope so.....

In addition to compiling this list, OSHA will be rolling out a new program later this Spring entitled "The Severe Violator Enforcement Program."  The goal of this new program is to decrease the amount of worker injuries and encourage employers to provide safe and health work environments.  HIgher fines and greater penalties for health and safety violations will be part of this new program. 

What are we up against in New York?  There were 244,200 nonfatal injuries reported in 2008, the latest data published, as compared to @3.7 million injures nationwide.  There were 123 fatal workplace accidents in NYS, outside of NYC, as compared to 5,071 nationwide.  The most common accident?  Falls!  Some falls are a simple slip, others a drop as would occur from a ladder or on a construction site.

Do you know your OSHA workplace rights and what to do if you are hurt or injured on the job?