Employee suffers workplace injury; OSHA violations possible
On behalf of of Frederick & Hagle posted in Workplace Injuries on Wednesday, December 17, 2014.
Working with any type of machinery can be a potentially risky ordeal. In order to keep the possibility for a serious workplace injury at a minimal, Illinois employers need to keep all work environments maintained, up to date and free of any obvious hazards. Although the exact cause of the malfunction is unclear, an explosion at a ConMet plant could have possibly been the result of a faulty machine.
Around 9 a.m., an employee at the out-of-state plant was attending to his work duties at the machine in question. A company representative reported that the machine malfunctioned while the employee was still there, causing a sudden and unexpected release of pressure. The resulting explosion caused significant injuries to the man, particularly to his leg.
Although other employees headed back to work after the plant was given the all clear about an hour after the explosion, the investigation into the explosion is still ongoing. There has apparently been some concern raised about whether the plant may have violated any standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It may be some time before any of the specific details come to light, as current estimates put the length of the investigation at three months long.
A workplace injury has the potential to completely derail not just an employee’s life, but also the lives of his or her family. Medical bills, complicated rehabilitation and lost wages can culminate into an emotional and financial disaster. In some instances, even if an employee can return to work, his or her earning ability may be severely lessened or limited because of the accident. Workers’ compensation is intended to assist those who were injured while completing their work duties. While victims in Illinois may just want life to return to normal, workers’ compensation can be a stepping stone on the road back.
Source: wcnc.com, “1 injured in explosion at NC plant“, Sabian Warren, Dec. 4, 2014
