Your Rights as an Employee on Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in an Oklahoma Workplace

Since 1970, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has maintained standards for safe workplaces in the United States. This federal agency requires employers to adhere to protocols that reduce workplace hazards, including the presence of the poisonous gas carbon monoxide (CO).

In Oklahoma, most employers must secure compensation—usually through workers’ compensation insurance—for their employees who sustain injuries on the job. If you’ve suffered CO poisoning due to a work hazard, the expert Oklahoma attorneys at Carabin Shaw can help you understand and exercise your rights as an Oklahoma worker.

Because CO is released when fuels like natural gas or kerosene burn incompletely, industrial occupations present the greatest risks. In general, the following workplace features may result in dangerous concentrations of CO:

• Blast furnaces
• Boiler rooms
• Docks
• Fires
• Garages (or other enclosed spaces that contain running motor vehicles)
• Paper production
• Petroleum refineries
• Steel production
• Warehouses

When you breathe CO, the gas displaces oxygen in your bloodstream. Although the effects of CO poisoning are often reversible, acute poisoning can permanently damage vital organs that rely heavily on oxygen. As a result, lasting damage to the heart and brain can be an unfortunate outcome of carbon monoxide poisoning in an Oklahoma workplace.

To reduce the likelihood of on-the-job CO poisoning, employers should do the following:

• Properly install and maintain appliances that can emit CO.
• Ensure effective ventilation where CO levels might rise.
• Provide well-maintained equipment for workers exposed to the highest levels of risk (such as steel workers and firefighters, for instance).
• Test the air at regular intervals.
• Install functioning CO detectors and alarms.
• Develop procedures for providing rapid medical response.

If you’ve suffered injuries due to CO in your workplace, carbon monoxide poisoning lawyers in Oklahoma can recommend the most favorable legal actions for your case. Often, workers are entitled to benefits through workers’ compensation. However, an attorney will also prepare a lawsuit when that action is necessary.

According to laws governed by the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission, employees can receive benefits for financial burdens through employers’ insurance. With a few exceptions, workers with CO poisoning injuries from job hazards may make claims for the following:

• Medical payments
• Payments for lost wages
• Replacement of wages through temporary or permanent disability payments
• Vocational training for employees who can’t return to their previous work

In addition, a family might be eligible to receive death benefits through workers’ compensation when a loved one’s on-the-job injuries are fatal. An employee has the right to seek all of these benefits, as well as prompt medical care, without threat of retaliation from their employer.

Navigating the workers’ compensation system can be overwhelming, especially if you need to focus on recovering from serious consequences of CO poisoning. Though you typically can’t sue an employer who provides workers’ compensation, your lawyer will also know when a lawsuit is possible; for example, a third party (such as the manufacturer of a faulty product) might be held liable.

In any case, Carabin Shaw’s client reviews illustrate our team’s commitment to your health and well-being through our rigorous investigation, demonstrated expertise, and persistence in pursuit of justice. By calling the toll-free number 800-862-1260, you take the simple step of setting up your initial meeting with our team. At this number, our staff is available 24/7 to speak with you in either English or Spanish.

Moreover, you can begin your journey without any financial risk to you: at Carabin Shaw, your initial consultation and case review are completely free. If you’ve suffered for your hard work in the state of Oklahoma, let our legal team work hard to relieve your burden.