5 Safety Regulations You Should be Aware of When Starting a Business

Meghan Belnap

April 24, 2014

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If you are starting a new business, it is important for you to fully understand the regulations impacting your business. Failing to consider safety regulations could have a negative impact on your ability to successfully run a business. You could be fined by the government, or you could even be sued by one of your own employees. If you are not careful, you may lose everything that you have worked so hard to accomplish for your business in a single lawsuit. Here are the top five safety regulations that you need to understand for successfully running a new business.

Know About Employer Discrimination Laws

You should also be aware of employer discrimination laws for the safety of your employees in the workplace. If an employee is sexually harassed, you could be liable in a sexual harassment lawsuit. You can make sure that all of your employees are aware of discrimination laws by hosting a training session on workplace discrimination.

Understand Fire Safety Regulations

It is vital that you are aware of fire safety regulations and have a proper fire safety protocol in place. You should make sure that every business place has exits that are clearly labeled. You should also make sure that you purchase fire extinguishers for the different areas of your business and get them inspected regularly by a company that does inspections. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) maintains the information on specific fire safety regulations that you should know. OSHA also maintains information on fire safety regulations that apply to specific industries, such as construction or engineering.

Comply With OSHA Regulations

In general, you should understand how OSHA regulations impact your business. As mentioned above, OSHA regulations are applicable in industries like construction but can be applicable to every type of organization. If you own a business in a labor-intensive industry, be sure to take the time to read up on OSHA regulations.

Ensure That Equipment is Maintained

You should always make sure that equipment is properly maintained on your worksite. Nothing can be more dangerous in a workplace than faulty equipment. If a piece of equipment is in disrepair, then an injured employee could file a negligence lawsuit against you and put a real damper on your image. Make sure that you take the time to properly maintain all of the equipment on your workplace and you will be free of expensive lawsuits or unhappy employees.

Clear Chain of Command

You should also ensure that each worksite has a supervisor to see to the needs of employees. If a supervisor is not present at a worksite, you may be liable for the injuries of employees under a negligent supervision claim and the only way to combat this claim is to make sure that there is a qualified supervisor present whenever employees are on the clock.

These are the top five safety regulations that every business owner needs to know. Being aware of these regulations can help an owner avoid civil and criminal liability in the future as well as provide a safe work environment that any person would be happy to be a part of.

Meghan Belnap -

Meghan is a freelance writer from Oklahoma. She enjoys being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise as well as researching new topics to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure. For business help when considering safety she highly recommends using a company that helps with Fire Extinguisher Inspections in Fort Lauderdale