Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Workplace accidents: Foundry worker loses both legs

On behalf of Godwin and Rubin posted in Workplace Accidents on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.

There are numerous foundries in business in the state of California and all over the nation. A foundry is a manufacturing facility that makes metal castings. The heavy equipment and the manufacturing processes used in the operations often lend themselves to potential workplace accidents. One foundry in Alhambra faces fines for violations of health and safety guidelines after an employee’s legs were amputated.

According to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, also known as Cal/OSHA, Alhambra Foundry has been fined over $280,000 after an Aug. 2017 accident. Reports show that two employees were working on an auger screw conveyor on an air filtration device. The equipment had not been properly locked out or de-energized, per documentation. When another worker energized the equipment to conduct a test, one of the employees who had been working on the conveyor was pulled into it. In efforts to free him from the machinery, amputation of the man’s legs was necessary.

Following an investigation of the incident, Cal/OSHA officials reported that the company did not have proper signage on the controls of the equipment. Also, procedures were not in place for locking out or de-energizing the equipment. In addition, there was a lack of monitoring to detect when employees entered confined spaces.

Even when companies have all the required safety equipment and programs in place, catastrophic workplace accidents can still occur. If someone has been injured on the job, a California workers’ compensation lawyer can help with navigating the legal process. An attorney will assist employees in the process of obtaining any government benefits to which they are entitled. In addition, a lawsuit may be brought against a company, seeking damages to compensate for hospital bills, medical expenses, counseling, therapy and any psychological trauma associated with an accident.

Source: pasadenastarnews.com, “Man loses legs in workplace accident at Alhambra Foundry, company fined nearly $300K”, March 9, 2018