Do You Work Without Machine Guarding?

You may be at risk for amputation or laceration if you work around heavy equipment with the machine guarding removed. According to standards set forth by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), heavy machinery must be guarded wherever there are exposed parts that can catch bits of clothing or limbs. OSHA recently cited Canton, Ohio-based Gaspar Inc., because its employees were using press brakes and a boring machine without any machine guards.

“It is unacceptable that Gaspar would expose workers to the hazards of unguarded machinery each day,” said the OSHA area director in Cleveland. “The company was previously cited for these hazards. Then, it removed protections it had installed. These actions demonstrate a willful lack of concern for employee safety. Injuries involving machinery and equipment often result in death or permanent disability, and OSHA continues to focus on identifying and eliminating these types of hazards.”

Amputation affects a worker for the rest of his or her life by limiting the types of future jobs a worker is eligible for, which, in turn, affects the future of the workers’ family. After a workplace injury, “when can I get back to work?” is not the only question for an injured worker and their family, who are also wondering, “How are we going to pay for my daughter’s education?” or “Will my wife look at me the same way?”

Despite the tough questions following a workplace accident, we at Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC will not let you go through it all alone. Our Columbus workers compensation attorneys have been defending the rights of injured workers and whistleblowers in Ohio since 1929. If you have a tough question about a workplace injury, contact us at (614) 221-7548.

Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC—Columbus Workers Comp Attorneys