Using Work Tools and Equipment Safely
Unfortunately, accidents occur all the time in the workplace. According to the National Safety Council, a worker is injured on the job every seven seconds in this country, meaning that well over 12,000 workers are injured on-the-job every single day and another fourteen die from their workplace injuries.
And sadly, many of these accidents happen because of negative interactions with workplace equipment. The Miami Herald recently reported that a worker suffered serious wounds to his face, including to at least one eye, after cutting himself with a chainsaw on a recent Friday afternoon in the Florida Keys. A county spokesman has asserted that the man was apparently working at a house in the Upper Keys community when the accident with the power tool happened. The injured worker was reportedly in serious condition when he was taken by helicopter air ambulance to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.
How Can Employees Help Make Sure That Work Equipment is Safe?
While no worker wants to think about it, any use of a workplace tool can cause an accident ranging from a simple paper cut to causing a permanent and life-changing injury. However, there are a number of measures that employees can take to ensure that risks created by work equipment are eliminated or controlled, including:
- Selecting suitable equipment and maintaining it properly
- Staying within the confines of capacity limitations of large tools such as cranes and forklifts
- Following the manufacturers’ instructions for use and maintenance
- Obtaining adequate training or certification for equipment provided by an employer
- Immediately reporting any workplace hazards to management
Understand Your Right to Workers’ Compensation
While you should do your part to ensure that you make it home safely to your family, every worker should also understand that employers have an obligation to undertake measures that ensure a safe and hazard-free workplace. Using workplace tools unsafely can lead to a worker being injured. The good news is that anyone who becomes injured at work during the course of employment is entitled to pursue workers’ compensation benefits for injuries sustained because of workplace hazards. And fortunately, Florida law regarding workers’ compensation is a no-fault system that, unlike a traditional personal injury lawsuit, does not require that you prove your employer negligently failed to ensure a safe work area. But while this would theoretically make it easier for you to obtain the benefits that you deserve, it is often not that simple. For that reason, it is typically in the best interest of an injured worker to obtain legal help from an experienced workers’ compensation attorney early in the process of attempting to obtain benefits.
Allow Us to Help.
Despite your best efforts to avoid one, sometimes workplace accidents are unavoidable. Therefore, you should obtain legal help as soon as possible from someone who understands what you are going through and can guide your next steps. The process for obtaining workers’ compensation benefits can be overwhelming and challenging for anyone who has been injured at work and it is imperative that you choose your legal help wisely. Fortunately, the Miami workers’ compensation attorneys at Payer & Associates have significant experience helping people like you and you should allow us to help you get the benefits you deserve. Begin by contacting us today to schedule a free consultation.
Resource:
nsc.org/work-safety/tools-resources/infographics/workplace-injuries
https://www.payerandassociates.com/understanding-the-workplace-risks-faced-by-landscapers/
