manufacturing work injury in Mobile, Alabama

Occupational Risks for Manufacturing Workers in Alabama

Manufacturing is widely known as one of the most dangerous industries for workers, racking up high injury rates year after year. Manufacturing as a whole had an incidence rate of 3.3 nonfatal injuries per 100 workers in 2021. The most dangerous subindustries are wood product manufacturing, metal manufacturing and foundry work, and motor vehicle manufacturing.

Learn more about the specific risks you face as a manufacturing worker, and if you have been injured at work, find out how we can help. Call Thiry & Caddell at 251-336-3627 to set up a consultation now.

Manufacturing Hazards in the News

If you look at workplace safety news and press releases, you’ll see that manufacturers pop up fairly frequently for their labor violations, preventable accidents, and unacceptable injury rates. In 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor cited an Alabama automobile parts manufacturer for putting workers at risk by exposing them to safety hazards.

Employees were required to operate machines with non-functioning safety laser scanners, which are meant to prevent injuries that occur when employees get stuck in or crushed by machinery. In 2017, a plastics manufacturing company in Alabama pled guilty to violating workplace safety requirements.

A worker died after she was pulled into the rollers of a plastics extrusion machine. The fatality could have been prevented if the company had provided machine guarding.

Manufacturing employees face these and other risks in their day-to-day work.

Chemical Exposure

Chemical exposure is almost guaranteed in many manufacturing jobs, but employers are expected to limit exposure to safe levels and provide employees with appropriate safety gear. When they fail to provide the right gear, store chemicals safely, or train employees on proper handling, injuries may follow.

Workers may also be exposed to other dangerous substances or settings. Manufacturing floors are often incredibly noisy. The constant whir of machinery can leave workers with hearing loss. Workers may also be forced to work in extreme heat or cold, both of which can cause health issues.

Slip and Fall Injuries

Manufacturing floors are full of chemicals, oils, and water pools caused by leaks. Falls on these surfaces or uneven work surfaces can leave workers seriously injured. In some situations, these accidents can even be fatal—imagine a worker who falls from a higher level to a lower level or who falls into the path of moving machinery.

Repetitive Stress Injuries

Manufacturing work can be repetitive and cause enormous strain on certain parts of the body. As workers rack up the hours week after week, those parts of the body may start to break down.

Many workers spend their days pushing and pulling machinery or equipment, lifting products and materials, bending down to lift items, or crawling into tight spaces to troubleshoot issues. Even the youngest and healthiest employees will likely experience long-term health and mobility issues after putting so much pressure on their bodies on a constant basis.

Injuries Caused by Machinery

Machinery is one of the most common causes of serious and fatal workplace accidents in this industry. Manufacturing machinery often runs 16 to 24 hours per day, which puts a lot of stress on the machinery and increases the likelihood of malfunctions and breakdowns. When safety features break down or fail to work as they should, workers can be killed or seriously injured.

Due to the cost of repairs and the delays caused by repairs, some employers do not repair broken safety features right away. Employees may be pulled into machines, crushed by moving equipment parts, have body parts crushed by machinery, or be required to troubleshoot machinery even when it is unsafe to do so.

Not only are manufacturing machines inherently dangerous because of their size and power, but employees can also make equipment even riskier. Employees who are poorly trained, complacent in their daily work, or lax in their use of safety gear can become injured or even cause other workers to become injured.

Choose Thiry & Caddell for Help with Your Claim

If you’ve been injured at work and you have been denied fair compensation, let the team at Thiry & Caddell help you with your workers’ compensation claim. Set up a consultation right away by calling us at 251-336-3627 or reaching out online.

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