Phoenix Workers' Compensation Law Blog

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports that almost 5,200 work-related fatalities occurred nationwide in 2016, and millions more in Arizona and other states suffered injuries. Many of the injured victims suffered traumatic amputations. A welder in another state whose hands were both amputated in a preventable accident now spends his time warning others to comply with safety regulations.

While holding up his prosthetic arms for all to see, his message is clear. He explains to other workers how he lost his hands in 2007 when he was employed as a welder in a manufacturing facility. He recalls how co-workers who were busy shredding drywall in a special shredder called him over and asked is help to clear a blockage while the shredder was running. He says although he knew that it was wrong to do this without switching the machine off, he still went ahead and stuck his hands in the machine.

Employees in the landscaping and tree care industries are more vulnerable than most to be struck by lightning. This is a work injury that could be fatal, and all possible precautions must be taken to avoid the outdoors during thunderstorms. Stormy weather patterns are common in Arizona during the summer months, and employers must ensure that employees know the risks, and know what to do when they are caught in such hazardous weather conditions.

The National Weather Service says approximately 25 million lightning flashes between clouds and the ground occur nationwide each year. Further data reveals that over 1,000 people are victims of lightning strikes per year, and an average of 50 of those incidents are fatal. Many others who survive are left with neurological disabilities that are irreversible.

Workers in the factories of Arizona face numerous hazards every day. Advisers say incorporating a detailed risk assessment procedure in the safety schedule helps to limit the risk of an industrial accident. However, this can only be effective if employees are involved in the assessment. Establishing a structured process and providing sufficient guidance can lessen potential dangers.

To measure a plant's level of safety, employers and employees must be up to date with the latest safety regulations. Frequent safety training and refresher courses are prerequisites for industrial workplaces, and only qualified workers must operate specific machines and equipment. Encouraging employees to be part of the risk assessment process can help with identifying potential problems, and such empowerment could make them more responsible and less inclined to undertake activities that will risk their safety.

While many people in Arizona may think only workers in industries such as construction and manufacturing are at risk, occupational hazards exist in all sectors. They may be surprised to learn that there is more than one work injury that can happen in an office just as quickly as on a construction site. For that reason, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration expects employers in all industries to establish safety protocols that will address all known hazards.

Although it is true that chefs in busy kitchens face risks of being injured by sharp objects and hot steam, they face the same slip-and-fall dangers as office workers, construction workers and many others because spillages of liquids pose the same threat to all. The same goes for randomly placed objects that can cause workers in any environment to trip and suffer serious injuries. The risk of suffering musculoskeletal injuries are also as likely to affect an office worker who attempts push, pull or lift a heavy desk, carry office equipment or stretch to reach boxes of stationery on high shelves as a warehouse worker with similar duties.