Cal/OSHA – the California division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration – is keeping a public list of employers who have been cited for COVID-19 safety violations. Unfortunately, the list of violations continued to grow in February, including several inspections that began after a worker passed away from the coronavirus.
According to the Cal/OSHA citation list – which you can see in full by clicking here – six workers throughout the state died of coronavirus complications in cases that reached the regulatory agency’s attention. One company was marked for failing to report the COVID-related death to Cal/OSHA.
Common reasons for violations among the many cited companies include:
- No appropriate means to physically distance workers from other workers
- No barriers in place to separate workers in confined spaces
- Insufficient training provided to workers to help stop the spread of the virus
Several of the more concerning Cal/OSHA inspections began after workers complained to the agency about workplace conditions. The reports underline how important it is for all workers to feel comfortable speaking up when they believe their employers are violating workplace safety regulations. Without those complaints, the unsafe issues could have continued unchecked, and the spread of the coronavirus in those workplaces could have predictably worsened as time went on.
What Do You Do If Your Employer Violates COVID Safety Rules?
Is your employer violating COVID-related safety regulations despite the severity of the ongoing pandemic? You should not assume that your coworkers will handle the matter and file a complaint. Plan on filing one yourself today. The more complaints that Cal/OSHA receives about a single workplace, the more likely they will expedite their inspection of it.
You can file a complaint by accessing the Cal/OSHA online portal here. Try to provide as much information as you can when filing your complaint. Specifics can make a big difference in assisting the inspectors who need to assess the safety of your workplace.
Make certain you have a way of saving a copy of your complaint. You should be given a complaint number after filing, or notification via email if you provided it within the complaint form. Any evidence of your complaint, as well as proof you have collected on your own about your unsafe workplace conditions, should be saved and secured. If you fall ill with the coronavirus and believe your job exposed you to it, then the tangible evidence you have saved away could be what saves your workers’ compensation claim in case it is denied by the insurer.
Need help filing a claim after being exposed to the coronavirus at work? Alvandi Law Group, P.C. provides workers’ compensation assistance and representation to people in all industries throughout Orange County and the greater Los Angeles area. We can still assist you through remote technologies. Contact us today to learn more.