No matter where you work, there are many ways your safety can be compromised on the job. Perhaps overworking leads to significant fatigue and other health issues. Maybe you or others haven't been properly trained for a specific job. You might be exposed to an unsafe job site with unnecessary risks. While nothing is entirely risk-free, your workplace and employers should be doing as much as possible to mitigate harm, whether it is emotional, physical, or mental. If you're concerned about a past, present, or future place of work, you should know some of the major safety concerns to be on the lookout for.

Previous Accidents

Accidents can happen anywhere at any time, including the workplace. Even when safety precautions are followed meticulously, accidents can happen at any job. However, if you've learned about multiple incidents in a short period or a long-term history of workplace accidents at a new place of work, you're right to be concerned. If improvements aren't made for employee safety, workplaces and businesses are doomed to repeat issues.

During the hiring process, try to look into the company’s legal history. Some workplace incidents may appear immediately upon a search engine page. You'll typically see news articles or attorney pages featuring information about incidents and lawsuit history. Some attorneys may even use these incidents as a marketing tool to help potential clients seek support and consultations from their law firms. This marketing tactic is known as SEO for employment lawyers. If you're searching for your company's history of incidents, and you notice law firm pages appear, it's worth looking into.

Blocked Exits

Your ability to safely exit a building shouldn't ever be compromised. Should fires or other emergencies occur that require a swift exit, blockage or debris can be the difference between life and death. If you notice that exits are blocked permanently, or clutter impedes your ability to leave for longer than a day, you'll want to escalate your concern to management, HR, or even external authorities if necessary.

Faulty or Broken Equipment

Equipment failure can occur from time to time, but repeated incidents of major failures or inadequate equipment maintenance can be a cause of concern. If reports of malfunctioning equipment aren't addressed quickly or are ignored, you should be even more concerned. A workplace with a poor equipment maintenance history is at a higher risk of dangerous accidents. How long does it take for faulty equipment or damage to be addressed? Are safety concerns taken seriously?

Lack of Safety Gear

A business should always provide tools and gear to protect the safety of employees. Some industries or jobs may require hazmat suits, safety goggles, construction helmets, high-visibility apparel, or other gear in order to work safely. This equipment should always be available and in working order. Requests for the replacement of this gear should be swiftly addressed. If your workplace fails to address missing or damaged safety gear, you should be concerned. A safety hazard can happen to you or a coworker at any time.

Poor Ventilation

Good air quality is extremely important in the workplace, especially in industries that involve the use of air pollutants or airborne chemicals. If you notice strange odors that you cannot get away from, headaches, fatigue, or respiratory problems due to poor air quality, the situation needs to be addressed promptly. Authorities need to be notified if a workplace does not address these concerns. Long-term exposure to dangerous airborne substances can cause conditions like cancer.

Insufficient Training

All employees need proper training to ensure they perform their jobs safely and efficiently. If you or new hires aren't properly trained, safety issues can happen quickly. If your industry involves hazardous materials, heavy machinery, or other potential hazards, insufficient training is a death sentence. Companies should never lapse on training policies. If you or other employees weren't sufficiently trained for the demands and risks of the job, you may want to work elsewhere.

Workplace Harassment

Your workplace should feel safe and welcoming for everyone. No one at your place of work should harass you based on your gender, religion, race, ethnicity, disability, or other protected status. You shouldn't feel threatened, insulted, or harmed by other coworkers or managers. Sometimes, excessive friendliness can even create an unsafe workplace; inappropriate touching, stalking, or comments may pressure employees into relationships they do not want. If a coworker or manager makes you feel unsafe in any way, you need to make sure you've reported it to the relevant authorities.

Ignored Communication

How a company or management team handles employee communication will say a lot about the safety of the workplace. Employee requests, concerns, or complaints should always be addressed in a timely manner. If you've had workplace requests or problems that have gone ignored by any department, including follow-up requests, this is a major red flag. Responding to employee concerns is the bare minimum of workplace positivity and safety. Businesses should also regularly ask for feedback or opinions regarding how the work is handled or how supportive the company culture is. If management or the brand itself doesn't care about you, it's likely a good time to find an alternative place to work.

Conclusion

Workplaces should minimize any safety risks as much as possible. Faulty equipment, ignored employee concerns, signs of harassment, insufficient training, or a lack of safety gear are all red flags that prove that your health and happiness are being compromised at a place of work. You should never feel unsafe or at risk when walking into work. If you've been subjected to any of these concerns at work, you may want to find employment elsewhere. Consider consulting with an employment attorney to help improve safety for you and other coworkers in similar situations. Knowing what to look out for is the first step in protecting yourself and others.

Interlinking Opportunities

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