In an effort to prevent industrial workplace accidents, company owners in Georgia must comply with prescribed safety regulations. It is inexplicable why employers would expect untrained employees to operate or perform maintenance on machinery with unguarded working parts. Unfortunately, some business owners disregard basic safety regulations, which may lead to severe or even fatal workplace injuries.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently cited a Georgia company for exposing a worker to unsafe conditions that caused him to suffer personal injury. Investigators determined that the company allowed the maintenance technician to work on an unguarded active machine. The worker was reportedly performing maintenance on a hydraulic line of a press when some of the hydraulic fluid was injected into his left hand.
The technician had to undergo surgery because a surgical shunt was required to drain the fluid and lessen the swelling. While investigating this incident, OSHA investigators found numerous other safety violations, including the exposure of workers to electrical shocks, flash burns and arc flash. The company also failed to provide electrical safety training provides and exposed workers to fall hazards from conveyors.
The Georgia worker who had to undergo an unanticipated surgical procedure may find comfort in knowing that his medical expenses will be covered by the workers’ compensation insurance program. Most injured workers are covered by the program, regardless of who caused the injury. Workers’ compensation typically provides coverage of medical expenses related to any workplace injuries. Further assistance is offered in the form of lost income compensation based upon the injured worker’s wage level.
Source: ohsonline.com, “Worker’s Hand Injected with Fluid during Machine Maintenance“, Oct. 7, 2015