By law, employers must create a safe and secure environment for their employees, clients, and customers. Failure to provide adequate working conditions can go against OSHA worker rights and protection regulations, leading to the employer experiencing financial jeopardy or getting into legal trouble.
Uncomfortable work pressure and conditions can lead to decreased work performance, poor employee health, and limited career progression. For these reasons, it’s important to take action if you feel that your employer isn’t creating a safe workplace for you or your colleagues.
Below, we have detailed some of the most important steps that you must take if your current workplace conditions are inadequate.
Document as Much as Possible
Written documentation acts as strong evidence in the event of a legal claim. Even if you choose not to escalate the situation to a legal level, it’s still a good idea to keep records of your workplace issues so you can present them to your employer or the employment tribunal if needed.
Document the current conditions of your workplace, including details about any unsafe items or practices. Examples of unsafe items include loose cables, exposed electrical wiring, or broken machinery.
Unsafe practices may include things like a failure to maintain proper airflow in an office, a lack of health and safety measures, an unsafe water supply, or inadequate anti-discrimination policies.
Writing down the main issues in your workplace makes things clearer in your head and enables you to voice your concerns to your employer without hesitation.
Speak to Your Supervisor or Employer
It’s important to raise your concerns with your employer if you’re experiencing inadequate working conditions. You may wish to chat to your supervisor, who can relay your worries to your employer on your behalf, or speak directly with your employer if this is possible.
Try to voice your concerns in a way that is respectful. Remain calm throughout the meeting with your supervisor or employer and avoid getting angry or aggressive, as this could go against you.
Your employer may be unaware of the poor conditions within their workplace, and sometimes simply informing them of the main issues could force them into action.
Contact a Lawyer
If your employer refuses to make positive changes in the workplace after you’ve raised your concerns with them, you may need to take further action. An employment lawyer or health and safety lawyer is the best type of legal advisor to contact in this case.
Your lawyer will provide legal guidance to help you take the best action to resolve your concerns. The lawyer might speak directly with your employer in the hopes of encouraging them to make positive changes within their workplace. If this fails, your attorney will begin to collect further evidence to support your case and strengthen the claim against your employer.
If you win your claim, you may gain compensation for the negative experiences you’ve had to deal with in the workplace.