Safety authorities who travel nationwide to assess workplace safety say they come across the same basic safety hazards and violations in all the different industries they visit in North Carolina and elsewhere. The same will likely reflect in an analysis of workers’ compensation claims that are filed by injured workers. Reportedly, negligent housekeeping causes many injuries, mostly because spills and clutter are not cleaned up promptly, causing many falls from slips and trips.
Working at heights also poses hazards that do not always receive the deserved attention. Many workers are not equipped with fall protection, and those who have fall protection often lack proper anchor points. When it comes to forklifts, authorities say the need to rush causes most lift truck injuries because operators take shortcuts by speeding with overloaded lift trucks, and distractions also cause problems. Confined spaces are factors in many tragedies because employers fail to establish and enforce permit systems for these dangerous areas.
Electrical extension cords cause many injuries because they pose not only shock and electrocution risks but also trip-and-fall hazards. In many industrial facilities, lockout/tagout devices are either absent or unused — often resulting in catastrophic injuries. Chemical hazards are present in all industries — those that manufacture chemicals and those that use chemicals in cleaning and other procedures. Without protective gear such as gloves, aprons and eye protection, injuries are prevalent because chemicals can enter the workers’ bodies through inhalation and absorption through the skin — not forgetting the risk of blindness if chemicals get into the eyes of workers.
Victims of occupational injuries in North Carolina might have questions about their eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits and how to go about filing claims. An attorney who is experienced in dealing with benefits claims can provide answers. Some injured workers choose to utilize the services of a lawyer to assist with the challenging navigation of benefits claims.
