Machine shops are where dangerous machining and manufacturing practices occur. The use of machinery leads to a wide range of accidents from fires to lacerations and amputations. In California, most incidents and injuries in workplaces are covered by workers’ compensation insurance.
Common injuries
Although most people think of factory workers getting their fingers cut off or having objects hit them on their heads, the most common injuries involve repetitive stress. This injury takes a year or longer to develop and occurs to workers who perform repetitive tasks. Arthritis is one of the most common workplace conditions that often worsen with the use of powerful hand tools.
More immediate injuries include slips and falls, burns from spilled chemicals and respiratory problems caused from inhaling toxic fumes. The inhalation of toxic fumes, like carbon monoxide and airborne dust, is a hidden danger with symptoms that can occur immediately or appear years later.
The advantages of workers’ comp plans
Machine shop workers deal with high rates of short-term injuries and long-term illnesses or disabilities. Since accidents occur so often, machine shop owners have few choices but to maintain workers’ compensation programs for their employees. The employer is protected from expensive lawsuits, and injured employees who cannot work receive regular payments. The coverage provided under workers’ compensation includes one-time events, such as hospitalizations and surgeries, and long-term conditions like years of rehabilitation.
The option of compensation for machine shop injuries
Manufacturing accidents occur so often that workers’ compensation insurance is required by all employers in California. Accidents happen when people least expect them and cause injuries that seem minor but could be more severe than it seems.