Labor Law Center Blog » Blog Archive » Nebraska Worker Safety

Nebraska Worker Safety

March 21st, 2007 Posted by Amelia

Health and safety issues are concerns for Nebraska employers and those who work for them. When an employee becomes ill because of the work environment, or they are injured due to a hazard in the workplace, everyone is affected. The injured or ill employee suffers physically; their peers have the burden of picking up the workload if the employee cannot return immediately to work; and employers face potential lawsuits, medical costs, and worker’s compensation payments.

According to a recently released report, employees lost 1,234,700 workdays due to an injury. Sadly, 5,702 workers lost their lives on the job in 2005. The most common fatality is a result of work-related auto accidents. In 2005, 1,258 workers lost their lives this way. Most people know that auto accidents produce many fatalities. However, most people do not consider the seriousness of a slip, trip, or fall. The second most common workplace fatality is due to a fall. In 2005, 255,750 workers fell at work, and 732 died as a result.

When considering the effect on employees and employers alike, it becomes clear why OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, oversees workplace safety in Nebraska, and across the nation. OSHA sets safety and health guidelines to ensure optimum work environments for most employees in the private and public sectors. OSHA does not regulate state and local government work environments. However, some states have chosen to employ OSHA standards to protect government workers.

It becomes clear why Nebraska worker safety is a priority for employers when considering the national statistics related to accidents in the workplace. Shockingly, there were more than 4.2 million work-related accidents in 2005 alone. And this total does not include non-profit organizations, state and local government, and injuries sustained by police officers, paramedics, and fire fighters!

Education and awareness are key components in decreasing the incidence of accidents in the workplace. Employers are required to display safety materials in the work environment, inform employees of potential hazards, and properly train employees in safety and health standards.