Working in a machine shop or other industrial job comes with risks every day. Ideally, California employers provide personal protection for their workers and stress safety at regular training sessions. Nevertheless, when machine shop injuries occur, they can be life-altering or even life-ending. It is important to know the kinds of dangers that exist on the job to understand how to improve the chances of avoiding serious injuries.
Repetitive strain is nothing to shrug off. Over time, subjecting one’s body to the same motions, traumas or awkward positions can lead to debilitating injuries These kinds of injuries are among the most common in industrial jobs, but workers are also at risk of other injuries, including:
- Direct injuries from hand tools
- Loss of limbs from using poorly guarded, malfunctioning or poorly maintained machinery
- Eye injuries when pieces of materials are projected from machines or when sparks fly
- Skin or eye injuries from contact with caustic or toxic substances
- Lung illnesses, including cancer, from inhaling dangerous chemicals or particles
Some machine shop injuries may become worse than they need to be when workers fail to seek the medical care they need right away. This may be because they are afraid they will lose time from work, they worry they will get in trouble, or they are not documented workers and do not realize they are still covered by workers’ compensation. However, it is critical that a California worker who is suffering from a workplace illness or injury seek the appropriate medical care right away to prevent the condition from worsening.