The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, is a federal agency which creates safety regulations for all types of private employers.
Texas requires private employers to follow OSHA regulations
While other states choose to create their own plans based on OSHA’s regulations, Texas has decided to rely on OSHA’s regulations. Most workplaces in the Austin area are subject to these regulations.
If they do not follow them, then should OSHA inspect the establishment, it may impose hefty fines on the employer for violations of its safety rules and will of course expect the employer to remedy the safety issue. In some cases, more severe penalties may apply.
These penalties are a matter of public record, so a business also might suffer a loss of reputation, at least with respect to workplace safety.
OSHA chooses to inspect an employer for a number of reasons. After most serious construction accidents, for example, OSHA will investigate a construction site.
People should also be aware that Texas does have some state-level rules and regulations regarding workplace safety. Employers in this state must be aware of these rules.
A violation of an OSHA regulation does not mean an injured person gets money
OSHA’s role in workplace safety is to enforce standard safety rules. It does not help victims of construction accidents get compensation. In order to obtain compensation for negligence, a victim would have to file an appropriate lawsuit.
A history of OSHA violations, particularly if they relate to a victim’s injury or illness, may supply helpful evidence in a victim’s case. It would be very important for a victim to know about a construction site’s inspections and any fines or other penalties a business received.
However, the violation alone does not entitle an injured worker to compensation. The worker will have to put together a persuasive legal case that addresses all important points.
