Employers in Texas could pay a high cost for failing to keep their workers safe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the cost of a worker’s life is about $1 million. This takes into account legal fees, medical costs and workers’ compensation expenses. Furthermore, an accident that is caused by an employer’s willful negligence could lead to an OSHA fine of $129,336.
There are also many hidden costs that are hard to put an exact price on. For instance, a company could need to replace damaged property or deal with lower productivity because of a loss in employee morale. An accident could also lead to poor publicity for the business, which may result in losing current clients or future job opportunities. Large companies are not exempt from having policies that don’t take worker safety into account.
Companies such as Tesla and Amazon are among the Dirty Dozen organizations that are known for their poor safety track records. This list is compiled by union advocacy group National Council for Occupational Safety and Health. While some may question its agenda as it relates to targeting companies to put on its list, calling attention to unsafe work practices can reduce the odds of workplace accidents.
In the event that a worker is injured, he or she may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. This is generally true whether the employer or the worker was responsible for causing the accident to happen. Typically, an individual is entitled to a portion of lost wages as well as having medical bills related to the injury paid in full. Unlike a personal injury case, punitive damages are generally not available. An attorney can provide more details about the workers’ compensation system.