Amputations are some of the most dangerous types of injuries. Amputations happen when a person’s body part gets in the way during the operation of machinery. If not properly guarded, it’s possible for heavy machinery to lacerate the skin, muscle and bones, leaving little option but to amputate if the limb hasn’t already been severed.
The good news about workplace injuries like these is that they are preventable in most cases. Keeping employees safe is a goal for any company, and doing so does help prevent serious injuries.
Here are a few things that a company can do to help prevent workplace amputations.
1. Use machine guards and safety features
Machines with moving parts often come with or have spaces for guards. It’s within a company’s best interests to install these guards, since they may prevent an employee’s hands, fingers or other body parts from entering a dangerous area.
Understanding which parts pose a treat is also important, so safety features are used well. Rotating parts, reciprocating parts, cutting edges, punching tools, shears and forming tools all require training in using or being around them safely.
2. Make sure employees stay informed
Another important thing to do is to make sure employees stay informed about what’s happening with machinery in the workplace. For instance, if one employee is fixing a piece of machinery with large blades, it’s vital that everyone knows not to turn it on and is aware of how to turn it off in an emergency should one take place.
3. Provide good training
Overall, the best way to prevent significant injuries in any workplace is to provide significant safety training. No one should ever work with equipment that they’re not trained to handle. Employees need to understand the dangers of roughhousing or participating in horseplay in the workplace. Your workplace is dangerous, and it’s necessary for everyone to take their jobs seriously.
Workplace injuries take lives and leave individuals with life-changing disabilities. No one should have to suffer an injury because they’re ill-informed about the dangers of the workplace where they do their jobs. Good training and appropriate guidance can help you keep everyone in the workplace safe from amputations and other significant injuries.