• 15
  • February
    2012

The focus of Indiana's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (IOSHA) is keeping workers safe and minimizing dangerous environments that have the potential to cause construction accidents. IOSHA inspects construction sites around the state for compliance, but it cannot be everywhere at all times and therefore, workers must stay vigilant for health or safety concerns at their own job sites.

Workers who believe the work environment is unsafe or is in violation of any IOSHA or OSHA standard should know that the law does not allow employers to discriminate or terminate employment when an employee is engaged in "protected activity." Protected activities include raising health and safety concerns, and IOSHA has a Whistleblower Protection Unit to assist employees discriminated against or terminated. Workers have the right to file safety and health complaints with IOSHA, the right to bring safety concerns to their employers and the right to refuse to work if a reasonable person would agree that the conditions posed an imminent danger of serious injury or death without suffering retaliatory discrimination.

Discrimination can include termination, demotion, denial of overtime or a promotion, discipline, denial of benefits, intimidation/harassment, reassignment and reduction of hours or pay. Workers who have been discriminated against for raising safety concerns must act quickly, as claims must be filed within 30 days of the alleged offense.

Should you know of work hazard that threatens your safety or the safety of a family member, promptly report the same to the OSHA representative in your jurisdiction.  If you live in Indiana, find out to whom workplace violations or injuries should be reported at the State of Indiana website, www.ai.org. 

Doehrman Chamberlain - Indianapolis accident lawyers