Working in a profession where toxic exposure is a possibility means that you must take extra precaution to protect yourself at all times. You don’t want to suffer toxic exposure when on the job, but sometimes even the most careful employees suffer such an injury. When this happens, you will want to be prepared for the exposure and how to care for it.
The first thing you should do following toxic exposure in the workplace is seek medical assistance. Activate the emergency response procedure put in place by your company when toxic exposure occurs. This might include isolating yourself from other coworkers in an effort not to expose them to the same chemicals. This could mean waiting for a hazmat team to arrive that is also trained in first aid.
Document exactly what happened that led to the incident and the steps you took immediately following. Never admit fault when documenting the accident. This could come back to hurt you should you pursue compensation for injuries suffered while on the job.
Seek outside medical help as well. This can be done by seeing your family doctor after being released from the hospital or having the doctor visit you in the hospital. An independent medical evaluation can only help your case in the end.
If there were coworkers with you when the toxic exposure occurred, be sure to have them provide statements to investigators about what happened. Their witness testimony could help your case.
Collect records of everything that has happened since the accident. This includes any report issued by your employer, an investigative authority, your medical team and even law enforcement. If a team from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was called for an investigation, acquire their report too.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a toxic exposure at work, contact our firm in Baltimore, Maryland, to have all of your questions answered. We can guide you through a workers’ compensation case and advise how you can acquire compensation for your injuries.
