OSHA Announces Safety Contest
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration wants your help and is willing to pay you for it. OSHA is joining the digital age and has announced a contest for a new app to help educate young workers about on-the-job dangers.
According to the Department of Labor, approximately 15 percent of the U.S. workforce, or about 18 million workers, is under age 24. The injury rate for these younger workers is double that of their older counterparts. In 2009 alone, 359 workers ages 13 to 24 died and 800,000 were injured in work-related accidents. Many high-risk industries, such as the construction industry, hire young, inexperienced workers, which may lead to the higher rate of injury.
The DOL Worker Safety and Health App Challenge seeks an app that will help these younger workers understand safety as well as their rights in the workplace. Altogether, $30,000 in prizes will be awarded to contest winners with the grand prize winner taking home $15,000. In addition, the grand prize winner will get a meet with U.S Labor Secretary Hilda S. Solis.
To enter the DOL Worker Safety and Health App Challenge, you must sign up by Nov.30. Official rules and submission information can be found on the DOL website.
Workplace injuries are far more common than many people realize, particularly in high-risk industries such as construction. In New York City alone, five people were fatally injured and 152 others were injured in construction site accidents in 2011. Anything that gets the word out to young workers about the importance of safety in the workplace should be applauded.
Talk to an Experienced New York/New Jersey Workplace Injury Lawyer
If you have been injured or lost a family member in a New York or New Jersey workplace accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Sometimes, a third party is responsible in a workplace accident, meaning you may be entitled to compensation outside the workers’ compensation system. Contact the New York/New Jersey workplace accident attorneys at Ginarte Gonzalez & Winograd to learn about your legal options.
With six offices conveniently located in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, we have an office near you. Contact the firm today by calling 888-446-2783 or fill out our online contact form for your free consultation.
