The nature of the manufacturing industry often exposes workers to a variety of dangerous injuries, many of which may have long-term physical repercussions. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that more than 400,000 employees in this sector received injuries in 2019, with many individuals missing one or more days of work as a result.
If you experienced an injury in a manufacturing workplace accident, and require workers’ compensation, you may want to understand how common this type of incident is and how it can affect you.
Muscular and tendon injuries
Damage to the muscles or tendons in the arms and legs often happens while lifting heavy packages or from repetitive motions, such as loading a hopper with wood or running a saw. These injuries are not always immediately apparent and may come on slowly with a variety of symptoms, including:
- Soreness
- Pain when rotating the wrist
- Lameness, such as limping
If the injury prevents you from activity at work or at home, you may require surgery to repair the issue.
Cuts and punctures
Manufacturing machinery usually has moving parts that slice, punch or cut building materials, such as wood or metal. They can also cause serious lacerations if any part of your body becomes caught. These types of injuries may require stitches or even the reattachment of one or more fingers, depending on the severity of the injury.
Manufacturing industries such as metalworking and the motor vehicle sector experience a variety of injury incidents each year. While many companies strive to keep the workplace safe, many have experienced a rise in the number of injuries, workers’ compensation reports and days missed as a result of employee accidents.