Almost severely injured at work and now scared to return

[Details93]

I work at a car dealership detailing cars in Memphis, TN. The garage I work in has a ceiling about 20-25 feet up. Well while at work on Monday, I was startled by a huge BOOM nearly as loud as a shotgun. I quickly turned around and saw that one of the huge industrial sized lights, weighing about 30-40 pounds, had fallen from the ceiling and caught on fire(note: this had happened before a year ago). I quickly put the fire out and contacted my boss. I show up to work the next day A little nervous that another incident might occur. As i approached the end of my shift my anxiety was no longer there so I decided to pull my car in the bay to give it a quick wash and vac. After washing my car I started to spray the soap off and right as I was about to finish ANOTHER LIGHT FELL! only this time the light landed on top of my car about 5 feet away from my face. I experienced no inuury minus some emotional distress. What legal action if any shiuld I take against this greedy/cheap dealership

 

[Silverplum]

I work at a car dealership detailing cars in Memphis, TN. The garage I work in has a ceiling about 20-25 feet up. Well while at work on Monday, I was startled by a huge BOOM nearly as loud as a shotgun. I quickly turned around and saw that one of the huge industrial sized lights, weighing about 30-40 pounds, had fallen from the ceiling and caught on fire(note: this had happened before a year ago). I quickly put the fire out and contacted my boss. I show up to work the next day A little nervous that another incident might occur. As i approached the end of my shift my anxiety was no longer there so I decided to pull my car in the bay to give it a quick wash and vac. After washing my car I started to spray the soap off and right as I was about to finish ANOTHER LIGHT FELL! only this time the light landed on top of my car about 5 feet away from my face. I experienced no inuury minus some emotional distress. What legal action if any shiuld I take against this greedy/cheap dealership

None. You were not injured.

 

[Zigner]

None. You were not injured.

He could ask the company to reimburse him for the damage to his car (if any.)

However, I'm not sure if the company will be happy that he was washing his personal vehicle on their time or, at the very least, using their resources.

 

[Details93]

None. You were not injured.

I'm not trying to gain anything from this but i would like to have somebody come and inspect the place to prevent future problems. Is there nobody I could contact?

 

[Zigner]

I'm not trying to gain anything from this but i would like to have somebody come and inspect the place to prevent future problems. Is there nobody I could contact?

You could contact your boss.

 

[Details93]

He could ask the company to reimburse him for the damage to his car (if any.)

However, I'm not sure if the company will be happy that he was washing his personal vehicle on their time or, at the very least, using their resources.

The dealership doesn't pay me nor do we use their resources. The detailing company I work for is speerage from the dealership and I have every right to clean my car as long as I have nothing else to do. But the wash bay we work in is the dealerships therefore I feel it would still be their fault for not having propper upkeep/maintenance and for providing us with, what feels to me, like a very unsafe workplace. Detailing cars should not be very dangerous, yet I was 5 steps away from possibly losing my life.

 

[Zigner]

The dealership doesn't pay me nor do we use their resources.

Who supplies the water? Who supplies the electricity? Who supplies the bay?

 

[Details93]

You could contact your boss.

As I said in the original post I have contacted my boss. "The dealership is changing locations in December anyways" was the response. 2 lights fall in 2 days and there are roughly 20 left, odds are more will fall

 

[LdiJ]

As I said in the original post I have contacted my boss. "The dealership is changing locations in December anyways" was the response. 2 lights fall in 2 days and there are roughly 20 left, odds are more will fall

It might be something worth reporting to OSHA. Its a dangerous working environment. I would give them a call.

 

[Details93]

Who supplies the water? Who supplies the electricity? Who supplies the bay?

Valid point but that doesn't excuse the hazardous work environment that seemingly aren't going to do anything about. I'm not too worried about the car I'm glad it didn't hit me. I'm not trying to get rich or anything like that I would just like for them to be forced to hang now light fixtures legally. (I realize this was the wrong category to post in but it was the only work/injury related one I saw)

 

[Details93]

It might be something worth reporting to OSHA. Its a dangerous working environment. I would give them a call.

Ah thank you but if I call them I'm worried about them maybe firing me? Even if they keep it anonymous I was the only one there and it damaged my car so the dealership would certainly know that I contacted OSHA

 

[ShyCat]

You cannot force them to do anything. OSHA, however, can.

As for getting rich, you won't. You can request (and if necessary, sue for) reimbursement for your car damage.

 

[Zigner]

Valid point but that doesn't excuse the hazardous work environment that seemingly aren't going to do anything about. I'm not too worried about the car I'm glad it didn't hit me. I'm not trying to get rich or anything like that I would just like for them to be forced to hang now light fixtures legally. (I realize this was the wrong category to post in but it was the only work/injury related one I saw)

The dealership isn't your employer. You can't force the dealership to do anything.

 

[LdiJ]

Ah thank you but if I call them I'm worried about them maybe firing me? Even if they keep it anonymous I was the only one there and it damaged my car so the dealership would certainly know that I contacted OSHA

Well, that would be a risk, but since they cannot fire you for being a whistleblower, you would have further cause of action against them if they did.

 

[Details93]

The dealership isn't your employer. You can't force the dealership to do anything.

Okay so if I go to Walmart and I notice something hazardous or possibly fatal to me and other customers I wouldn't be able to contact anybody about it because they're not my employers? You can't be right about that. That's ridiculous