Industrial Accident Lawyer Blog

OSHA has issued a significant fine against a Massachusetts manufacturer after an injured worker suffered the loss of a finger tip due to a machine which did not have the required guard needed to prevent a workplace injury. The lack of machine guarding was noted on other machines at the facility, and thus OSHA found the failure to have such guards "willful."

Thousands of workplace injuries and worker deaths occur each year because of an absence of machine guarding. Additionally, many Georgia workers comp claims could be avoided if machine guards were in place. Often, employers remove machine guarding to increase production, in doing so putting profits over worker safety.

Often, as an Atlanta Workers' Compensation Attorney, and Atlanta Injury attorney, there certain mechanisms of worker injury seem to manifest themselves over and over thorough the clients who walk through the door. OSHA has now released a list of its "Top 10" safety violations which seems to match the type of claims were are seeing.

Not surprisingly, scaffolding accidents top the list, with over 9,000 violations issued in 2009 thus far. Work injury most often occurs when planking and support give way, of falling objects. Fall protection was OSHA's second most cited violation. Any time a worker is working at a height of 4 feet or more, fall protection must be provided.

Electrical injuries and electrical wiring violations were also high on OSHA's list, with over 3,000 violations issued this year. Working with electricity is dangerous, and can cause burn injury and wrongful death. Overhead power line workers, linemen, engineers, welders, construction workers, and others who work in general industry or construction must be aware of the significant danger posed by electrocution. The Flynn Law Firm, a Georgia burn injury law firm, has seen far too many workers with severe burn injuries and electrical injuries, most of which are preventable through adequate workplace safety mechanisms.

Recently, the Chemical Safety Board (CSB) issued warning reminding employers and workers and the dangers pressure vessels pose to those working in industry. Atlanta injury attorneys often deal with burn injuries sustained as a result of industrial explosions caused by pressure vessels, including chemical tanks and gas tanks. If such vessels are improperly installed or welded, they may have inadequate pressure relief systems. The CSB noted several incidents related to pressure vessels, including a Louisiana gas explosion which killed 4 workers. The CSB also noted a Texas chemical explosion in Houston involving a pressurized tank which exploded, causing massive damage.

The failure of a valve at a welding supply company has led to the burn injury of a welder. The industrial accident was sent a welder to the local burn center for treatment of burn injuries.

After the welder removed a valve from a settling tank, the tank malfunctioned and exploded. Smaller, secondary explosions then followed. The injured worker suffered burns to his head, upper body, hands and arms.

This case serves as an example of kind of third-party tort claim injured workers can file when hurt in a workplace accident or industrial accident. While workers compensation attorneys can obtain workers compensation benefits on your behalf, an experienced burn injury attorney can pursue your claims against product manufacturers and other third-parties who are at fault for your injuries. The value of a third-party claim is almost always significantly higher than a workers' compensation claim.