Amputations are some of the worst kinds of workplace accidents that can occur. Tennessee workers who suffer an amputation on the job could lose their life or be left permanently disabled by the injury. To address the problem of workplace amputations, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration created a National Emphasis Program on amputations that was recently updated with revised policies.
OSHA's revised directive contains information about where workplace amputations tend to occur and how often they occur. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics information that was referenced in the document, more workers sustain amputations in the manufacturing sector than in any other work sector. In 2013, around 2,000 people in manufacturing jobs sustained amputations during the course of their work.
The Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health said that amputations usually take place around unguarded machinery and equipment. Some of the workplaces where workers are more at risk for amputations are food manufacturing and meat processing plants, commercial and retail bakeries, sawmills and machine shops. As part of the National Emphasis Program on amputations, OSHA inspectors will be examining high-risk workplaces to learn how workers clean and maintain machinery and deal with jams.
After a workplace accident that involves an amputation, injured victims may be unable to continue earning income as they once did. The loss of income and added medical expenses that result from a workplace amputation can be financially devastating for a lot of families. A lawyer may be able to help an injured worker in this situation to claim reimbursement for the financial losses through workers' compensation benefits and, if applicable, non-employer third party claims.
