Legal Considerations for Machine Safety
Is your plant safe? Hopefully this is a question that is being contemplated and addressed on a continual basis. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration governs the area of machine safety and it has been proven that “Compliance with OSHA standards can not only help prevent needless workplace tragedies from accidents, but it can also help minimize the number of injury-related employee absences, keep workers' compensation and other insurance costs to a minimum, and promote higher productivity from employees who can feel secure that the company is looking out for their safety.”
Those companies not in compliance with OSHA can suffer large fines simply for non-compliance, but if there is a work related injury or death that occurs due to a known non-compliance, the litigation costs can be devastating to an organization. Did you know that approximately one-half of all amputations occur in the manufacturing sector? Amputation is one of the most severe and crippling types of injuries in the occupational workplace, often resulting in permanent disability. A review of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) annual survey data, National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) data, and OSHA Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) data indicates that amputation injuries are widespread throughout many industries and involve a wide range of activities and equipment, but again, one-half of all amputations occur in the manufacturing sector.
Knowing that machine safety is a very important topic, we are honored to have a renowned lawyer, Donald H. Carlson, present at our Solutions Symposium at the Tommy Thompson Center on Wednesday, May 14. Mr. Carlson will be speaking on the importance of safety compliance and will explain how companies like yours can reduce the risks of litigation.
Don has lectured extensively on issues such as products liability, toxic torts, trial practice, insurance coverage and commercial litigation for the Wisconsin Bar Association, the Milwaukee Bar Association, the Wisconsin Association of Corporate Counsel, the Marquette University Law School, and the Professional Education Seminar Group. Additionally, he regularly participates in the Institute of Trial Practice sponsored by the American Board of Trial Advocates and the State Bar of Wisconsin.
*statistics taken fromwww.osha.gov.