Phoenix Workers' Compensation Law Blog

Construction workers face an endless list of hazards -- many of them life-threatening -- and those who are not alert at all times might be caught unawares. However, it is not uncommon for workers to come away from potentially deadly accidents with work injuries that are less severe. Many employers in Arizona take particular note of these near-misses to prevent potentially traumatic consequences in the future.

One such accident occurred at a building site on a recent Monday morning. Officials of the Phoenix Fire Department reported that an emergency call came in at about 7 a.m. They rushed to the scene to find a construction worker who had fallen from street level into the basement of a building under construction. They learned that the man was safely strapped into the seat of a front-loader when he proceeded to pour a load of dirt into the basement.

Electrical hazards exist in almost every workplace in Arizona. However, safety authorities say most electrician accidents occur on construction sites. They say many workers suffer electrical shocks that are never reported, and for that reason, the existing records indicate only serious and fatal electrical injuries.

The hazards include overhead power lines, faulty equipment, lightning, damaged insulation, improper grounding and doing maintenance or repairs without de-energizing the equipment. An electrical shock happens when an electrical current passes through a worker's body, causing him or her to become a part of the electrical circuit. For that to happen, the worker must touch two electrical currents with different voltages, or be in contact with an electric current and a ground without being protected by shoes with rubber soles -- for instance.

Based on information provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the meat packing industry is exceptionally dangerous, with an injury rate that far exceeds all other sectors nationwide. In Arizona, these workers are exposed to knife cuts, falls, musculoskeletal disorders, cumulative trauma disorders, infectious diseases and toxic substances. The latter is often not given the necessary attention, and many workers are unaware of the work injury dangers posed by chemicals, one of which is known as the silent killer.

Ammonia is used as an aqueous solution for cleaning and as anhydrous ammonia gas in refrigeration pipes. Contact with the skin can cause corrosive burns, and inhalation can damage the respiratory tract and the lungs; the gas can also injure eyes. Thermal degradation products can affect workers' noses, eyes and throats. This hazardous product is produced during the process of heat-sealing polyvinyl chloride film for wrapping meat.

Most people take their hands for granted. Workers in Arizona protect their heads with hard hats, eyes with safety goggles, ears with plugs and feet with safety boots, but they often forget to wear safety gloves. Every occupation poses some hand injury risk, ranging from bruises and minor cuts to amputations in a serious workplace accident.

Lacerations might be the most common hand injuries, and while treating most of them might be easy, deep cuts can damage tendons or nerves, which might cause long-term damage. Puncture wounds are narrower and often deeper than cuts. They can be caused by machinery or tools and sharp objects like tacks, knives, needles and nails. A crush injury occurs when the hand, arm or wrist catches between two hard surfaces such as a between a door and a wall or in the mechanisms of heavy equipment. When the pressure prevents the blood from reaching the muscles, damage could be permanent.