With the winter months forcing more workers in Georgia inside or into partially enclosed spaces, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has reminded employers about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. Portable generators, space heaters and any equipment that relies on fuel combustion, like vehicles, pumps or welders, produce carbon monoxide. Insufficient ventilation allows the potentially deadly gas to build up and slowly poison occupants. Every year, some workers die from exposure to the odorless gas, and winter increases the possibility of mishandling equipment in poorly ventilated areas.
Workplace safety is everyone's business
There may be a variety of issues Georgia employers and employees disagree on, but when it comes to creating and maintaining a safe work environment, everybody is on board. The employer cannot afford the loss of productivity not merely from the injured worker but also from the potential shutdown of the operation until safety is assured. Of course, to the worker, health and safety are paramount, as is a regular paycheck. These interests are so closely aligned that workers compensation was designed as a no-fault system to address a worker injured within the scope of employment without resorting to litigation.
Tips for workplace eye protection
Georgia workers, especially those in construction, know how important eye protection is. PreventBlindness.org states that more than 2,000 people incur on-the-job eye injuries every day with 1 in 10 of these injuries resulting in missed workdays. Between 10 and 20 percent of all work-related injuries end in temporary or permanent vision loss. The following are just some tips for workers wondering if they are protecting their eyes like they should.
