Forklift Injuries in Warehouses and on Construction Sites
Did you know that one in every six workplace deaths involves a forklift? That data comes from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which also reports that “70 percent of forklift accidents are preventable with standard safety measures.” Forklifts are used in various industries that require transporting heavy loads, but they are especially common in warehousing and construction work. If you or a loved one has been injured in a forklift accident, it is important to learn more about these injuries and how you can seek financial compensation. Our Maryland warehousing and construction injury attorneys can provide you with more information.
What is a Forklift?
In order to understand how forklifts can be so dangerous, it is important to understand what they are. As the National Safety Council (NSC) explains, forklifts are a commonly used type of heavy machinery “for carrying and transporting heavy materials in primarily non-roadway areas.” The term “forklift” is actually an umbrella term that refers to different types of heavy machinery used to perform these tasks, including “order pickers and powered platform trucks.”
Forklifts are frequently put to work in warehousing jobs to move materials onto and out of large trucks, and into different areas of the warehouse. They are also used regularly on construction sites to move construction materials or demolition debris.
How Forklift Accidents and Injuries Occur
The majority of forklift accidents are classified as “transportation incidents,” according to the NSC. The second-leading cause of forklift accidents are struck-by accidents in which a worker is struck by a forklift. Other less common forklift accidents are classified in the categories of slips and falls, and overexertion and bodily reaction events.
When forklift accidents occur, workers can sustain severe injuries. The NSC cites the following as the most commonly reported injuries in both nonfatal and fatal forklift incidents:
- Bruises and contusions;
- Soreness and pain;
- Sprains, strains, and tears;
- Fractures, or broken bones;
- Cuts and lacerations;
- Traumatic amputations; and
- Multiple traumatic injuries.
When any of these injuries occur in the workplace, the injured worker may be eligible to obtain workers’ compensation benefits. Those benefits include medical care, wage-replacement payments, and more. To obtain these benefits, you will need to show that your injury arose out of and occurred in the course of employment.
Contact a Maryland Workers’ Compensation Lawyer for Help with Your Claim
Warehousing and construction work are two of the most dangerous industries in Maryland, and workers are frequently injured as a result of using or having contact with heavy machinery. Forklifts are used regularly (and are necessary for many types of jobs), but they can also be extremely dangerous. If you were injured in a forklift accident, one of the experienced Maryland workers’ compensation lawyers at the Law Offices of Steinhardt, Siskind and Lieberman, LLC can speak with you today about seeking compensation. We routinely assist injured workers who have gotten hurt while performing jobs in warehouses and on construction sites. We know how dangerous this work can be, and we know that you deserve to be compensated when you have been injured. Contact our firm to find out more about how we help warehousing and construction workers with workers’ compensation claims in Maryland.
Sources:
injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/safety-topics/forklifts/
osha.com/blog/5-most-common-forklift-accidents-and-how-to-prevent-them
