No, it’s not a mystery. It is a workers compensation scenario. And yes, it is extreme, but it happened, and other such incidents do happen.
A client of mine had a machine shop with large presses which stamp down on pieces of metal in order to form them. According to standards, such machines are to have a number of safeguards. There must be a yellow line around the machine, within which only the operator is allowed to stand while working the machine. This is to prevent distractions.
Another safeguard is the placement of handholds out of the way of the machinery’s working components, so that the machine will only operate when your hands are clear of the press. If you are a machine operator in a hurry to produce your parts, you may be tempted to circumvent that safeguard. If that happens, your hands may still be in the way when the press comes down. This resulted in a three-fingered operator, and a workers compensation claim.
We have seen claims all the way from this extreme to one as simple as an employee throwing out her back while reaching for a fallen paper clip. Anyone can have an accident at work at any time, and there are a myriad of ways that can happen. It is important to protect your business with workers compensation coverage so that your business does not bear the responsibility of paying the price for your employee’s injury.
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