| By :
Mark Etinger
I used to be pretty nonchalant when it came to work area safety. I thought whether someone wore safety apparel was his business, not mine. I did not like the idea of imposing on some else personal freedom and choices. Then last fall when I was working with a contractor on a project in my home we were both injured. What made me mad was that had we been using the proper industrial gear our injuries could have been avoided. I could deal with my own injuries but I felt so guilty about hurting someone else. That was not the worst part, however, I was soon to discover. The contractor I injured attempted to sue me. He claimed since he was working for me his safety was my responsibility. I had no idea I could be sued for not making someone else follow proper safety guidelines. Now, I had my own injury to contend with plus the added stress of the legal action. I was worried that he was going to take me to the cleaners. He was a friend of mine and I was able to convince him not to sue, but it was a close call. What if he was a stranger? He would have definitely sued me. Between hiring a lawyer and having to potentially pay a large sum of money to the injured party, I could have lost my house, my car, my entire life. I promised myself that from that day forth I was not to take safety lightly. After a bit of research I found out that requiring people around me to practice construction site safety was my best legal defense. Now no one lifts a finger in my work area unless they have construction safety equipment and the appropriate safety apparel. I do not suggest it, I require it. I have signs up that remind people to keep their construction gear on at all times, and I will call someone out the second I see him without remove safety gear. No one is going to get hurt on my watch; I do not want that on conscience. I also do not want to have to deal with another possible lawsuit; following safety protocols is the best way to do that. Construction gear can be expensive, but its peanuts compared to legal fees. I give the same advice to anyone I know who has people doing potentially hazardous labor for them: better safe than sorry.
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