Phoenix Workers' Compensation Law Blog

Robotics is no longer limited to factories and other industrial facilities. Robots are now also used in the construction industry in Arizona and elsewhere. Following two separate incidents of a robot-related work injury, safety authorities say each new project requires a thorough analysis to identify potential hazards and risk zones.

In one incident, a contractor was tasked with demolishing an HVAC system. He was fitted with a remote control system mounted around his waist, with a wire attached to the robot that was equipped with a shear attachment. During the demolition process, the worker had to reposition the robot and its cable, but he accidentally bumped the controller against the robot. The machine moved forward and crushed him against a wall. After a co-worker noticed the unconscious worker, he was extricated and rushed to a hospital with severe chest injuries.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported concern over the lack of studies focused on infectious diseases and potential outbreaks in workplaces nationwide, including Arizona. While strict standards and guidelines are in place to prevent incidents of work injury, authorities want to create more awareness of this threat. The studies were focused on particular industries such as public services, health care, laboratories and those that involve people working with animals, and they used data from articles in medical journals that were published from 2006 through 2015.

Authorities say those studies did not include predictions of potential future outbreaks. Reportedly, NIOSH reviewed all available data and published the conclusions about diseases that are emerging and re-emerging in several identified workplace clusters. The first sector includes those who work with people who could be ill, such as EMTs, teachers, correctional officers and police, all of whom are vulnerable to contracting influenza, measles and other viral respiratory infections. Airborne infections that include tuberculosis and HIV infections that could be transmitted through needlesticks or other puncture wounds also threaten health care workers.

One of the most dangerous occupations is driving big rigs. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the average fatality rate across all professions nationwide, including Arizona, is 3.5 deaths for every 10,000 workers. However, when trucker fatalities are separated from the rest, an analysis shows that 26.8 of every 10,000 commercial vehicle operators die in truck driving accidents.

Authorities identified several safety issues that feature in many big rig crashes, and those that top the list are the lack of adequate training, fatigue and impairment by drugs and alcohol. A spokesperson for the National Transportation Institute says a significant percentage of truckers who apply for jobs fail their drug tests. While many impaired drivers die in wrecks, large numbers of overdose deaths happen among commercial truck drivers.

Forklifts are valuable pieces of equipment used to handle materials and products in various Arizona industries. Unfortunately, employers and workers often disregard the risks these machines pose. An uncertified forklift operator can cause a workplace accident in the blink of an eye -- often with devastating consequences. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration prescribes safety standards to be enforced in facilities where lift trucks are used.

OSHA also provides safety guidelines that could prevent forklift-related injuries. These include the operator taking care when mounting or dismounting the machine, wearing non-slip shoes and making sure his or her hands are clean, dry and free of oil or other slippery substances. Operational and visual inspections before using a forklift are crucial, and ensuring that travel paths are clear of obstacles is vital. The operator must park the forklift in a spot that does not block a doorway or aisle, and engage the parking brake.