Charles H. Leo (B.S. ’89, J.D. ’91) was awarded Florida Super Lawyer for the 11th straight year in August of 2019. Because of this, he was featured in the FSU

His firm was featured in the Honors, Scholars & Fellows notes at Florida State University due to this impressive accomplishment. You can read more about the HSF announcements each month by clicking the image below.

What Are Florida Super Lawyers?

Super Lawyers is a lawyer aggregator website that helps individuals get connected with attorneys that will best help them with their legal issues. Each year, Super Lawyers uses a patented process to select and grade lawyers across the country. This includes peer nomination, independent research and peer evaluation from lawyers in the same jurisdiction. Lawyers who receive the highest scores are further featured in the Florida Super Lawyers Top Lists. For the 11th straight year, we are proud to have been featured as a Florida Super Lawyer!

You can take a look at my Super Lawyer profile here!

Every year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) makes certain adjustments to their workplace standards to ensure that employees in warehousing and manufacturing stay safe on the job. Not only does this improve worker satisfaction, but it also helps employers minimize costs in terms of insurance coverage and worker’s compensation. 

For employees, warehouses can be one of the most dangerous places to work. This is because individuals are often exposed to heavy materials and large machinery. Managers and warehouse operators must stay compliant with OSHA rulings or they could potentially pay out expensive penalties, not to mention the impact on their reputation as a company. 

At The Law Offices of Charles H. Leo, P.A. in Orlando, FL, we can help individuals who have been hurt on the job and negotiate a fair settlement. Learn more about essential warehouse safety standards in Central Florida by reading the following information. 

Warehouse Safety Standards 

These are just a few of the examples of workplace safety standards that should be met when operating a warehouse or similar place of work. 

• Personal protective gear: Employers should offer certain types of safety gear to workers upon hire, including hard hats, goggles, fire-resistant garments, earplugs, steel-toe boots, and work gloves. 
• Proper workplace techniques: OSHA has a set of standards for performing certain tasks in a warehouse setting, such as lifting heavy objects to prevent harm to your neck, back, and shoulders. 
• Emergency procedures: Managers and operators must provide information to warehouse employees about fire safety procedures, hazard communication, evacuation processes, and more. 
• Properly labeled defective equipment: There is often damaged or defective equipment in a warehouse. It is essential that these are tagged with a clearly marked “out of service” sign to prevent employees from using it. 
• Fall protection: Some equipment is designed to prevent an employee from free falling, such as guards, rails, harnesses, and warning lines. A warehouse should not operate this equipment without them. 

What to do in Case of Non-Compliance or Injury 

Under no circumstance should a warehouse worker attempt a task that they were not trained or licensed to do, especially in terms of vehicle operation. According to the OSHA handbook, a manager or colleague should never instruct an employee to perform a task they were not trained to do. If you have witnessed an operator, manager, or employee failing to follow proper protocol, even insignificant breaches, you can file a report to OSHA. In fact, if you have any reason to believe a warehouse or other workplace is not following OSHA standards, you can still request a professional inspection to correct this non-compliance. 

Whether you have a small cut or have experienced a major accident, it is always best to disclose any workplace incidents as soon as possible. Reporting injuries right away to management prevents other calamities in the future. If you have received an injury on the job, The Law Offices of Charles H. Leo has assisted many workers in the Orlando, Florida area. 

All businesses want to make their workplaces safer for employees. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out that way. Even with hours of safety training and courses available from Human Resources departments, accidents still happen at work. Millions of people have suffered from injuries they received while on the job every year. 

When an accident occurs, employees have the right to claim reimbursement for any losses suffered during the event. This includes lost wages and medical expenses. For example, if you work in construction, you may not be able to return to the job site until you have been cleared by a doctor or medical professional. However, you still have bills to pay. With Workers’ Compensation in Orlando, you will still be able to pay rent, utilities, and other bills on time. 

Common Injuries in the Workplace 

Some workplace injuries are more severe than others. However, if you find that you’re unable to work because of back pain caused by lifting a heavy object, that’s reason enough of a reason to file for workers’ compensation. Other common workplace injuries include: 

• Slips, trips, and falls. These types of injuries actually account for most claims in the workplace. This is because a slip on an uneven surface cause head and back pain, broken bones, cuts, sprains, and more. 
• Injury from machinery. It is a dangerous safety hazard when machinery is not guarded or taken care of properly. Heavy machinery can even cause crushed or severed body parts 
• Headaches, back pain, or damage to your eyesight. Strain on the body is potentially due to long hours of sitting, standing, or staring at a screen. This happens often in standard office environments. However, even “small” injuries such as these should not be ignored. 
• Workplace violence. For example, if one or more employees start a fight in the workplace. There are a range of injuries that can be caused with a fight. 

What If I’m Injured at Work? 

Of course, missing work due to injury will cost you the compensation you need to live. And with medical bills being so expensive, you need to take action as soon as possible. You will want to apply for Workers’ Compensation so you can get a fair and maximum settlement. The Law Offices of Charles H. Leo, P.A. can help you file for Workers’ Compensation in Orlando. For more information and a free consultation for your claim, please give our team a call. We look forward to working with you.