Amputation Injuries & Severed Limbs
Severed limbs occur as a result of unsafe or untrained operations of shears,
power presses, conveyors, food slicers, and other industrial equipment.
Accidental amputations can also occur during handling of materials, when
heavy loads are dropped on limbs, while using forklifts, or other heavy
machinery or when limbs get stuck between powered doors.
According to
OSHA, some workers are more prone to severed or accidentally amputated limbs
than others. For instance, persons who work with rotating machinery and
blades that can snag clothing or limbs, machinery that involves back and
forth motions with the potential for entrapment, tools used in slicing
and punching, or stamping equipment may be more likely to have their limbs
caught in the sharp machinery with tragic consequences.
Overview of Amputation Prevention
Hazardous machinery can be found in almost every plant; however, this does
not mean that accidents and injuries have to be routine or acceptable.
OSHA requires employers to only purchase machinery that has sufficient
safeguards installed to protect workers from accidental amputation and
severed limbs. If there are no pre-existing safeguards in the equipment,
then employers are required to have proper safeguards installed. These
safeguards can be in the form of barriers that act as a protective shield
by placing a barricade between the worker and the machine.
These should be designed to reduce obstruction and prevent visual interference
while the worker is performing his duties. Other safeguards that can prevent
accidental amputation are devices that will stop a machine automatically
when a worker's hands are at the most dangerous point of operation
or prevent the worker from placing his hands in hazardous areas in the
equipment. These devices can act to boost the safety features of barriers,
thereby preventing severed limbs.
Severed limbs can result not only during operations of machinery, but also
during maintenance and start up or wind down operations. In many accidents
resulting in accidental amputations, OSHA cites employers who fail to
have proper lock out and start up procedures that would prevent accidental
starting of the machine while cleaning or maintenance procedures are ongoing.
There may also be a failure to train employees about the proper procedures
to be followed. Other employer failures can include poor maintenance of
machinery and failure to provide safety barriers.
Contact Us Today for a Free Case Evaluation
If you or a loved one were involved in an
industrial accident that resulted in an amputation or a severed limb, then it is likely that
you have grounds to file a
personal injury claim. It, however, is important that you do not attempt to handle this on your
own. So give us a call today and learn more about how we can help you
fight for the compensation that you need to cover all associated damages
such as future and current medical bills, lost wages, and the loss of
quality of life.
For help in filing a claim, please
contact an industrial injury lawyer from our firm as soon as you can!