Working in a factory can be a consistent and rewarding profession that supports the local community and state economy. These essential workers keep goods moving and shelves stocked. While factory workers perform a variety of different tasks in their work environments, they all face similar hazards that can put them at risk of injury. Employers are legally required to provide safe work environments, safety training, personal protective equipment, and more to keep their workers safe. When an employer has been negligent and fails to keep its workers safe, it maybe held liable for common factory worker injuries. Employers may try to downplay the injuries of their workers or not take their injuries seriously. Every worker has the right to fair compensation and needed medical treatment. If you are factory worker who has been injured on the job, have you experienced an injury type listed below?
Overexertion Injuries
When a factory worker overexerts themselves, either lifting something too heavy or working on their feet for long hours without taking any breaks, they can suffer from overexertion injuries. Many musculoskeletal disorders are caused by overexertion and can affect the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and nerves. Working in a factory can be incredibly physical and requires stamina to be able to complete physical tasks. Some work activities can cause back and neck injuries that can be incredibly severe. Another category of overexertion injuries stems from workers being dehydrated. If a factory worker is not allowed to take breaks and is working in a hot environment, they may not have the opportunity to drink water and stay hydrated. Dehydration can lead to heat exhaustion, fainting, and falling. Mandatory breaks are essential for keeping workers from overexerting themselves in the workplace.
Slip and Fall Injuries
Factories often have wet, slippery surfaces and uneven steps. Workers may spill oil or lubricants on the floor that can cause others to lose traction, leading to slips and falls. Workers are at risk of a number of different injuries from slipping and falling. Broken bones, head injuries, spine injuries, sprains, strains, and other traumatic injuries can occur from a slip and fall. There are rarely soft surfaces to land on when falling in a factory, so workers must brace their fall against a hard wall or the hard ground. Employers must make sure their work environments are free from slip and fall hazards or they may be held liable for associated worker injuries.
Heavy Machinery-Related Injuries
Heavy machinery is often used in factories to perform work-related tasks and to transport items around the facility. Commonly used heavy transport machinery includes forklifts, trucks, tractors, cranes, and more. Just like in passenger vehicles, accidents can occur and workers can be seriously injured or killed. Forklifts and tractors are known to rollover and crush workers. Trucks driven on a worksite may have blind spots and could easily back into a worker or pin a worker against a wall. While using industrial and assembly machinery, workers unfortunately can get their limbs sucked into a machine if it has not been properly safeguarded. Because machines utilize automatic gears and conveyer belts, it may take time for a machine to be shut down in order to try and save a worker who has gotten caught. Injuries that are caused can include deep lacerations, crushed bones, severed limbs, and death. Proper training and safety signage is absolutely essential to keeping workers safe around heavy machinery.
Fires and Explosions
Many factories work with combustible materials that are necessary to create a product. If these materials catch fire from machine sparks, lightning strikes, or other fire sources, a major fire or even an explosion can occur that put all workers in serious danger. If a factory worker is caught in this type of serious accident, they can suffer serious burns, nerve damage, skin damage, and death. Lung damage can also occur if a worker inhales hot smoke or fumes resulting from the fire or explosion. Proper fire safety protocols must always be in place in a factory.
Exposure to Harmful Chemicals
Many factories use multiple harmful chemicals to create their products. While many companies do their due diligence and train their employees on how to use these chemicals, have their chemicals properly labeled, and safely dispose of the excess, some companies do not. When an employer does not properly handle and dispose of harmful chemicals, that puts factory workers at serious risk of injury. Any sort of chemical spill or release can cause serious burns, respiratory system damage, skin irritation, blindness, and even death. Safety equipment can only go so far to protect a worker from chemical exposure. Daily exposure to chemicals, even when using safety precautions, puts factory workers at risk of developing long-term illnesses including cancer and lung disease.
Repetitive Motion Injuries
Many factory workers perform repetitive tasks utilizing the same movements over and over again. Assembly line workers often find themselves sustaining repetitive motion injuries. Repetitive movements can wear down a factory worker’s soft tissue, resulting in chronic pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, back injuries, neck injuries, and other health concerns. It does not take strenuous effort to sustain a repetitive motion injury as the repetitive nature of the task slowly chips away at the soft tissue over time. The factory worker may also lose strength in the affected areas, which makes it more difficult to do their job.
South Texas Factory Worker Accident Lawyers
The risk of being injured or killed as a factory worker is incredibly high. If you are a factory worker who has been injured on the job, you may be searching for legal counsel to help. With the right legal team behind you, you may be able to obtain the financial compensation you need to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering from your workplace accident. We know that you are suffering but that you also do not want to be a financial burden to your family. Contact the Rio Grande Valley workplace accident attorneys of Ezequiel Reyna Law Office today to discuss your situation at no cost. There is limited time to act following a factory accident in Texas, so don’t delay.
