Manufacturing jobs account for more workplace injuries than jobs in any other industry. About 20 percent of all workplace accidents happen in factories, though they often are not fatal. Fewer than 10 percent of all workplace fatalities occur in factories. This just goes to show how important it is to make sure all conditions are dealt with appropriately and to put the correct measures in place, such as anti-fatigue matting for standing workers to feel comfortable on, not compromising their safety.
Recently, a worker in a plant in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was injured when she fell onto a conveyor belt, according to news reports. The worker reportedly hurt her leg, though the full extent of the injury was not reported. The plant makes marshmallow Peeps treats. The factory has now installed safety measures such as goggles, hard hats, and belt scraper systems to ensure that everyone is safe whilst using the conveyor belt.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was investigating the accident.
Pennsylvania Factory Worker Injuries
Anyone who works in a factory knows how dangerous jobs there can be. Unfortunately, factory workers are frequently paid very low wages, considering the risks that they face.
A factory typically requires a wide variety of heavy machinery and equipment, from helpful things like these manual hydraulic lift tables, to the tools and machines that are essential to the running of the building and what it is producing. Depending on what the factory is producing, some of that machinery can be dangerous. Machinery can be made safer using equipment similar to that available on sites like www.superdrysystems.com, helping workers to avoid injury and illness, but some injuries are still common.
Common workplace injuries and accidents suffered by factory workers include:
- Amputations – Many machines in a factory are used to cut materials. Safety mechanisms are intended to automatically turn a machine off when a foreign object is detected, but these mechanisms do not always work properly. Moreover, not all machines are equipped with them. A worker who gets an arm, leg or strand of hair caught in a machine can lose a finger, arm or leg, or even be killed, within seconds.
- Repetitive Movement Injuries – Workers on a production line typically perform the same movements thousands of times a day, five days a week. Over time, this can lead to repetitive movement injury.
- Falls – The floor of a factory may be slick or slippery. In addition, scrap material or other objects can land on the floor, causing a tripping hazard.
- Burns – Many factory jobs involve exposure to caustic chemicals, which can burn a worker’s’ skin.
- Hearing Loss – Factories are frequently very noisy places to work. With the constant hum, thump, and bang of machinery, it is not surprising that factory workers disproportionately suffer hearing loss.
A factory worker who has been injured in a workplace accident may be entitled to benefits through the Pennsylvania workers’ compensation system. Although the system is intended to protect injured workers and their families, it can be difficult to navigate.
If you have questions or concerns about your legal rights to compensation, contact the Worker’s Compensation of Shor & Levin, the Bulldog Lawyers, by calling 855-860-4385 or by using our online contact form.
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