Any kind of heavy machinery can be difficult to operate, even for the highly trained workers who use them everyday. Even with the proper training and safety precautions in place, a worker can be injured on the job. Recently, a worker was injured in California while using equipment commonly known as a scissor lift.
The 22-year-old was operating the piece of machinery at Los Angeles International Airport when something went wrong. The man was in a terminal when he became pinned against a building. Co-workers had to free the man, and then the fire department arrived on the scene to render further assistance.
The man needed to be transported for medical attention. He had back pain and also suffered what was initially characterized as minor torso trauma. He was later listed in good condition. It is unclear at this time what caused the man to be pinned or exactly what may have gone wrong where he was working. Undoubtedly, a full investigation will focus on these questions.
While the injuries sustained were called minor, even minor injuries can lead to time off from work to recover. It can also lead to lost wages and hospital bills for any necessary medical treatments. When a California worker is injured on the job, there are workers’ compensation benefits in place so that worker does not suffer financially from injuries sustained while working. Any worker injured while on the job may benefit from knowing their rights and knowing what questions to ask if they are unclear about how workers’ compensation laws may benefit them.
Source: dailybreeze.com, Worker injured in scissor lift accident at LAX, No author, Nov. 19, 2013