Employees in Texas may benefit from learning more about the workers’ health and safety provisions provided under the state’s labor code. The statute’s general provisions appoint a division responsible for the collection of information on workers’ safety and health in order to identify and evaluate safety needs and services, such as insurance coverage.
The division also collects information pertinent to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics annual survey. The division is empowered to apply and contract with federal agencies to undertake projects for occupational safety as well. The division is also tasked with educating employers and employees through innovative programs in an effort to promote workers’ safety and healthy. According to the statute, the division will also provide educational material for employers as well.
The division is also responsible for certifying peer review programs, advising insurance carriers of newly developed workplace safety protocols and upholding employers’ compliance with Occupation Safety and Health Administration standards. The division also collects any occupational safety information require by federal laws or regulations. Employers are required to file a report with the division if an employee contracts an occupational disease or misses more than one day of work due to a workplace injury. Employers who fail to do so will be charged with an administrative violation.
People who suffer injuries at the workplace may benefit from contacting legal counsel as soon as possible. Employees often seek legal assistance when an extensive amount of work will be missed and medical bills or income become an uncertainty. The advice and counsel of a workers’ compensation attorney can be valuable when trying to obtain adequate medical attention or insurance coverage to help offset the damage suffered from a work-related injury.
Source: Texas Constitution and Statutes, “CHAPTER 411. WORKERS’ HEALTH AND SAFETY“, October 03, 2014