What to Do About Careless Coworkers Who Put You in Danger
Personal safety and well-being on the job site are critical in making sure you feel safe and capable of doing your best work at your job. If a coworker is not following protocol or is putting you in dangerous situations through their behavior, it’s your right as an employee to inform your supervisor and begin to establish evidence where you can.
Telling your manager or supervisor if you witness reckless or careless behavior on the job site is paramount. If possible, ask your supervisor to make a written memo or note with your concerns, signing and dating the incident or incidents where you felt at risk.
Careless behavior from coworkers can range across industries; for example, in construction you could find yourself dealing with a coworker who is sleeping on the job, or a coworker at the office prone to violent outbursts. Safety and well-being are critical in ensuring you do not have a hostile work environment.
If you feel your employer is not heeding your concerns, or the complaint itself involves the employer, you can file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), where you can submit an anonymous issue online, or file a detailed complaint including your contact information if you wish.
Helpful evidence to support your claim could be photographic proof of the negligent behavior. For example, if a colleague is smoking in a work site environment where smoking is prohibited, a photograph of the behavior can be incredibly helpful in building your case. Statements from other colleagues can be a huge help as well. Any incident reports filed against the colleague or memos documenting the behavior over a period of time will bolster your case. The greater specificity of their behavior and the more proof you have, the better.
If you feel alone in this process, you shouldn’t let complex feelings stop you from reporting an issue that may affect future colleagues. Improving a work environment where you don’t feel safe can make all the difference in your well-being, safety, and happiness at work.
Schedule a consultation with Franco Law Firm today to discuss your options, and how you can protect yourself against careless or negligent co-workers in your work environment. We’re here to help you.
