Your Employer Can and Should Protect You From Common Welding Accidents
When you decide to take on welding and hot work as a profession, you should have at least a general idea about the job’s risks. You will be expected to work routinely with hot metals, incendiary tools, and potentially toxic chemicals. But that’s not all; you’ll also be forced to work in cramped and confined spaces that increase the potential for accidents and injuries.
In other words, welding, especially maritime welding, isn’t exactly a pillow party. To avoid the inherent dangers and risks the job provides, it takes skill, caution, and the relentless support of your employer.
Unfortunately, unreliable employers who negligently disregard safety protocols, place many maritime welders at even greater risk for sustaining severe accident injuries. Are you one of them? How does your employer stack up to keeping you safe?
Employer Obligations for Avoiding Offshore Welding Injuries
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has extraordinarily stringent policies on hot work, especially for hot work that must be performed in confined areas. OSHA mandates that your employer take responsibility for making your workspace as safe as possible in spite of the inherent risks by providing additional safety measures. These precautions include:
- Concentration on risk management and environment maintenance. When welding or other hot work is performed in a confined space, OSHA dictates that the area must be properly prepped before a project begins. This means securing combustibles, removing flammable materials, and providing adequate ventilation
- Concentration on rigorous training sessions. Your employer must ensure that you and your coworkers are properly trained not only in the aspects of the job but also in the areas of risk management.
- Concentration on fire safety. Employers are responsible for ensuring that any employee who performs or works in the same area as hot works are properly trained in fire safety. This includes employees who are stationed near areas where welding, soldering, or the use of incendiary tools are present, and should include training in fire prevention and firefighting.
- Concentration on the proper supply and use of safety equipment. If you are welding or flame cutting, you’re required to wear protective gear. This equipment should adequately cover and protect your face and eyes, torso, and limbs, and contain a breathing apparatus that ventilates potentially harmful fumes. The work area must also have working fire equipment, including a hose or water source, a fire extinguisher, and flame-resistant gloves.
If your workplace or employer fails to follow these safety protocols, you could be at risk for a serious injury—an injury not caused by the ordinary risks of the job itself, but as a result of blatant employer negligence.
Do You Have an Offshore Negligence Case?
Has your employer routinely failed to provide you and your coworkers with the proper training and equipment you need to work safely? Have you been injured as a result of his oversight? If so, you may be entitled to pursue a negligence claim. This claim can help you receive medical and recovery compensation for injuries you unjustifiably sustained while performing offshore hot work.
Attorney Steve Lee has been helping injured offshore workers for more than forty years and is standing by to assist you and your loved ones in pursuing the justice and help your claim requires. Contact our office today via phone, live chat, or email to schedule your complimentary consultation. We look forward to using our skills to help you secure a better future.