Employees who work at warehouses, construction sites and factories that use production machinery may all find themselves at risk for a crushing injury. These types of injuries can affect almost any body part and cause severe trauma to skin, tissue and bones.
Ivy Rehab Network notes that the severity of the crushing incident depends on force, surface area and magnitude. Employers and employees who work at facilities with a higher risk of crushing injuries may want to understand how they might occur.
1. Missing lock tagouts
A proper lock tagout system alerts employees to malfunctioning machinery or equipment with missing safeguards. In most cases, lock tagouts prevent the machinery from operating while machine operators or repair personnel work on a malfunctioning machine. Missing lock tagouts may allow employees from operating the machine without the proper safeguards, resulting in a possible crushing injury.
2. Poor training procedures
Proper training and safety go hand in hand, but a lack of consistent training protocol can easily lead to a crushing injury. When a new employee attempts to run a piece of equipment without learning all the possible dangers, this increases the risk of a crushing injury to that employee’s hands or fingers.
3. Distractions
Workplace distractions can affect almost anyone and lead to serious crushing injuries. Unexpected noises, employee interactions and unexpected incidents that happen nearby, such as a stack of boxes tipping over, may all cause distractions that lead to crushing accidents.
Employers can reduce the risk of crushing injuries by increasing safety protocols, improving lock tagout systems and reminding employees to focus on their work when operating any type of heavy machinery.