Chicago Workers' Compensation Attorney Blog

"Going green" is a phenomenon that has the country paying attention to health issues and making the world a better place to live environmentally. Though it has taken some time to evolve, the green revolution has created a bigger challenge of creating jobs in an unstable economy where jobs are so desperately needed.

Our Chicago work injury attorney's want to warn you that "green jobs" may be saving the economy and the environment but like most jobs, there are dangers involved in these kinds of jobs, too.

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration describes green jobs as those which aid in cultivating the environment. Examples of industries creating these types of jobs are green roofs, solar, biofuels, recycling, wind energy, and geo-thermal energy.

But preserving the environment doesn't necessarily mean these types of jobs are safe for the employees who perform them. In fact, they have a lot of the same hazards as many other jobs but can also include new dangers. One of the most common is exposure to hazardous chemicals or materials that have little history in the work environment because of their use in new manufacturing processes.

David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor, states "It's not a matter of choosing either a green future or safe jobs. It's both. It's all or nothing, and NIOSH, OSHA and everyone else needs to play a role in building this sustainable economy - an economy that will provide sufficient jobs, green jobs, and jobs that are safe for all workers."

"It is vital, now, that we integrate worker safety and health concerns into green manufacturing, green construction and green energy," Dr. Michaels said. "Most importantly: We must push worker health and safety as a critical, necessary, and recognized element of green design, green lifecycle analysis and green contracts."

OSHA, committed to the safety of workers and employers in the work force, is encouraging green manufacturers to practice "Prevention through Design." This system ensures that safety and health professionals work with design engineers in the initial stages of product design to eliminate possible hazards to the employee.

Employers have a responsibility to keep their employees safe. The fear of the unknown is really what employees are in danger of. With the help of the government and organizations like OSHA and NIOSH employees can feel a little better about applying and accepting positions at "green" industries in Chicago.