It can be extremely frustrating to notice safety regulation violations or other concerns, and to have your employer not respond appropriately to those concerns. Nobody on your Williamsburg construction site has been hurt yet, but you are worried that a serious injury could occur if action is not taken soon to fix the problems.
How to Handle This Tricky Situation
As an employee you walk a fine line. You want to be safe, and at the same time, you want to keep your job. Accordingly, if your employer is refusing to fix the safety violations that you’ve noticed then you need to take action. You could, for example:
- Rephrase your concerns in economic terms. Explain that fixing the problem may be less costly than paying for the damage done in an accident.
- Suggest specific changes. Would training or safety equipment fix the problem? Make specific suggestions to your employer instead of just pointing out the problem.
- If all else fails, look for other work. Your current job may not be worth the risk to your health or your life.
The exact steps that you take may depend both on your individual employer and on the risks presented by the safety problems on your Williamsburg construction site.
What to Do if You’re Hurt
A serious construction accident can occur at any time. You have the right to recover fair damages for your injuries, regardless of whether or not you noticed the safety problem prior to the accident, and regardless of whether or not your employer took actions to fix it.
To learn more about protecting your rights, please watch our free videos and read our free brochure, "Hurt in a Construction Accident? You’re Not Alone."
