It is fair to say that there are some jobs in the state of Pennsylvania that are seemingly more dangerous than others. The dangers associated with these occupations are due to a variety of factors. In some settings the types of equipment involved contribute to the danger. Other jobs are dangerous because of the compounds involved in performing them, such as chemicals. One Pennsylvania company that distributes chemicals was recently fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for a series of violations it discovered in the course of an investigation it conducted.

OSHA is a federal agency that is responsible for the promotion of workplace safety throughout the nation. It does this a variety of ways including through the creation of safety standards and investigation of workplaces. When violations of safety standards are discovered, the agency may levy fines against the employer. This was the case regarding the Pennsylvania chemical distributor.

The agency uncovered a total of 14 violations in the investigation it conducted this past fall. The investigation was a result of a program the agency has implemented that focuses specifically on chemical facilities. Of those 14 violations, 13 of them were deemed to be serious. Violations falling into that category include a lack of fall hazard protection as well as no protections for chemical hazards. The violations resulted in a total of $64,665 in fines.

Most residents of the Pittsburgh area would agree that it is important that employers in the safe take the necessary steps to keep its employees safe. Employees working at this Pennsylvania business could become ill due to exposure to toxic substances. Should this unfortunate consequence happen, workers may find that they need to apply for workers' compensation benefits.

Source: Occupational Health & Safety, "Pennsylvania Chemical Distributer Receives 14 Violations," March 26, 2013