Material Handler and Order Picker Workplace Safety

Order picking and material handling is an important task in most manufacturing industries, and unfortunately, on-the-job injuries are not uncommon. 

Back injuries incurred while lifting are among the most common hazards for order pickers. But order pickers also face risks of other types of injuries, including trips and falls, shoulder, elbow or arm strains, injuries from falling objects, and injuries involving forklifts and other material-handling equipment.

Order pickers and other material handlers should observe the following precautions to avoid the most common types of on-the-job injuries:

• Use material-handling aids, such as hand trucks and four-wheeled carts whenever possible to minimize heavy lifting and carrying. 
• Keep materials and supplies stored at a level between the knees and shoulders. It is much more physically strenuous to lift things from below knee level or from above shoulder height. 
• Slide, push, or pull materials and supplies whenever possible to avoid heavy lifting and carrying. 
• Avoid twisting the body while carrying a heavy object. Ask a co-worker for help when carrying a heavy object. 
• Use both hands when carrying loads and keep the load lose to the body. 
• Rotate heaving lifting duties with lighter work to reduce the wear and tear on the body. 

Many of today’s warehouses also store supplies and materials on high shelving units, sometimes up to 30 feet in height. Employees often perform order picking using operator-up lift trucks, which increases the risk of serious injuries due to a fall. Order pickers working at heights should be equipped with and wear proper fall protection, which usually means a full-body harness with a fixed-length or retractable tether. The working platform should be elevate only when actual order picking is in progress, and employees should understand load capacities and stability requirements of the equipment to avoid tip-over accidents due to overloads or unstable loads. Employees should also watch out for overhead obstructions, and the operator should avoid turning while the platform is elevated with a load to avoid tip-over accidents.

Warehouse or manufacturing order picker or material handler injuries commonly include back injuries, musculoskeletal sprains and strains, and injuries due to falls.

In Minnesota, workers who sustain injuries in the course and scope of their employment may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, including medical expense benefits, wage loss benefits, vocational rehabilitation benefits, and permanent partial disability benefits.

If you've sustained an on-the-job injury in Minnesota, call Meuser & Associate at 877-746-5680 or click here to send us an email for a free, no-obligation workers' compensation case evaluation.
 

OSHA’s 2010 List of Top Ten Most Common Violations

According to Risk & Insurance Online, OSHA has released its Top 10 list of most frequently cited violations. These violations are cited by OSHA because of the significant dangers they pose to workers.

1. Scaffolding - general requirements. Scaffolding regulations aim to protect construction workers from falls and falling objects while working on or near scaffolding at heights of 10 feet or more.
2. Fall protection - general requirements. Fall protection regulations are designed to protect employees on a walking/working surface with an unprotected side or edge above 6 feet.
3. Hazard communication – Thee guidelines address chemical hazards and the communication of them to workers.
4. Respiratory protection – Respiratory regulations direct employers in establishing/maintaining a respiratory protection program.
5. Ladders - general requirements for all ladders. These requirements protect workers from fall dangers.
6. Lockout/tagout – These regulations addresses the control of hazardous energy during servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment.
7. Electrical - wiring methods. These guidelines deal with the grounding of electrical equipment, wiring, and insulation.
8. Powered industrial trucks –These rules cover the design, maintenance, and operation of powered industrial trucks.
9. Electrical - general requirements. These requirements deal with general safety requirements for designing electrical systems.
10. Machine guarding - general requirements. These rules cover guarding of machinery to protect operators and other employees from hazards.

If you’ve sustained a work-related injury either as a result of OSHA violations, or otherwise, you may be entitled to Minnesota workers’ compensation benefits, including wage loss benefits, medical expense benefits, permanent partial disability benefits and/or rehabilitation benefits.

For a free, no-obligation consultation to learn about your Minnesota workers’ compensation rights, call us at 877-746-5680 or click here to send us an email to speak with one of our workers’ compensation lawyers.

Visit us at MeuserLaw.com!

Preventing Work-Related Eye Injuries

Work-related eye injuries can be temporary, or they can be devastating. Thankfully, most work-related eye injuries can be prevented. In Minnesota, if you sustain a work-related eye injury, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, including medical expenses, wage loss benefits, permanent partial disability benefits, and rehabilitation benefits.

There are more than 800,000 work-related eye injuries every year. Some of these injuries are temporary, and some result in permanent loss of vision. Most eye injuries occur in production jobs, transportation jobs, material handling jobs, service industry jobs, and construction jobs. Men are more likely to sustain eye injuries on the job than women. Workers between age 25 and 34 are the most likely to sustain work-related eye injuries.

Eye injuries are most often caused by:

• Flying particles
• Chemical splashes, vapors, or dust
• Being stuck by or bumping into an object
• Sparks or molten metal and other hot liquid splashes
• Light radiation from welding

According to OSHA, 90 percent of all workplace eye injuries can be prevented by wearing eye protection. Most injuries occur because an employee is not wearing eye protection at the time of the accident. In fact, some estimate that as many as three in five injured workers were not wearing eye protection at the time of the accident. In other instances, workers were wearing eye protection, but the eyewear they were wearing didn’t adequately protect against the specific hazard involved.

Workers can help avoid eye injuries by:

• Obey workplace warning signs
• Always put on protective eyewear before entering an area where hazards may be present
• Use safety eyewear that provides maximum protection
• Make sure your eyewear fits properly and comfortably
• Inspect protective eyewear regularly and replace if there are defects
• Know where eyewash stations are located and how to use them
• Know basic first aid for eye injuries
• Store your protective eyewear where it won’t get scratched or damaged, and keep it clean
• Report potential eye hazards to a supervisor immediately

Eye injuries can be frightening and devastating. If you’ve sustained a work-related eye injury in Minnesota, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. For a free, no-obligation with a Minnesota workers’ compensation attorney, call us at 877-746-5680, or click here to send us an email.

Visit us at MeuserLaw.com!

Top Ten OSHA Safety Violations – MN Workers’ Compensation

According to Risk & Insurance Online, during 2008, the number of top ten OSHA safety violations increased nearly 30 percent.

The top ten OSHA safety violations in 2008 included:

1. Scaffolding (9,093 violations): According to OSHA, scaffold injuries occur most often when planking or support gives away, from an employee slipping, or when an employee is struck by a falling object.
2. Fall protection (6,771 violations): OSHA requires fall safety precautions anytime a worker is at a height of four feet or more in general industry, five feet in maritime work environments, and six feet in construction.
3. Hazard communication (6,378 violations): Employees working with hazardous or toxic chemicals must be provided with material safety data sheets.
4. Respiratory protection (3,803 violations): Respirators protect workers from harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gasses, vapors, and sprays, which may cause cancer, lung disorders, or other diseases.
5. Lockout/tagout (3,321 violations): Lockout/tagout procedures are practices that safeguard employees from an unexpected startup of machines or the release of hazardous energy during maintenance.
6. Electrical/wiring (3,079 violations): Many employees, including engineers, electricians, and other professionals directly work with electricity, including overhead lines, cable harnesses, and circuit assemblies.
7. Ladders (3,072 violations): According to the Department of Labor, falls are one of the leading causes of work-related deaths.
8. Powered industrial trucks (2,993 violations). Workers can be injured when trucks are inadvertently driven off loading docks, trucks fall between a dock and a trailer, workers are struck by a truck, or when they fall from trucks.
9. Electrical (2,556 violations). Almost all employee are indirectly exposed to electricity and may be exposed to electrical hazards.
10. Machine guarding (2,364 violations). Inadequate machine guarding can lead to catastrophic injury or death.

If you are injured in the course and scope of your employment, you may be entitled to Minnesota workers’ compensation benefits, including medical expense benefits, wage loss benefits, permanency benefits, and rehabilitation benefits.

For a free, no-obligation consultation to learn about your rights under Minnesota workers’ compensation law, contact Meuser & Associates at  877-746-5680 or click here to send us an email.

Forklift Accidents and MN Workers’ Comp.

Forklifts are extremely important and useful machines in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, warehousing, production, steelwork, construction, factories, and shipping industries. Unfortunately, forklift accidents are all too common, and often result in serious or catastrophic injuries to workers.

Each year, about 100 workers are killed in the United States, and an additional 20,000 are seriously injured in forklift accidents. Forklift accidents can be caused by:

• Tipping over. Carrying loads that are too heavy can cause a forklift to overturn. Forklift overturns are the most common cause of fatalities involving forklifts. Forklifts that tip over can crush nearby workers, or crush the worker operating the forklift.
• Falling objects. Forklift drivers can be seriously injured or killed by objects falling and hitting the driver while operating a forklift. If the forklift is operated in a confined area, the risk of hitting something with the forklift or with the load, which then falls onto the driver is magnified. Falling loads can also seriously injure or kill workers who are near the forklift. 
• Driver Ejection. Falling from a forklift is one of the most common causes of forklift fatalities for workers. 
• Being struck by a forklift. Another common cause of forklift-related deaths is when a nearby worker is struck by a forklift. This can happen when a worker fails to notice an oncoming forklift, or if the forklift does not have signal alarms. 
• Lifting workers. Forklifts are not designed to be used to elevate workers. Should the operator lose control, a worker elevated on a forklift can fall and be seriously injured or killed. 
• Poor Driving Conditions. Poor visibility, narrow pathways, obstructed intersections, obstacles, and unsafe floor or ground conditions can all cause forklift accidents. 

There are several things that employees can do to minimize the risk of forklift accidents:

1. No unauthorized operators. Forklift operators must have specific training for the type of forklift they are using, the type of materials they are handling, and the type of environment they are working in. Untrained operators are at much greater risk for causing injury to themselves or others when they operate forklifts. In addition, it is illegal for persons under the age of 18 to operate a forklift.
2. Careful load handling. Operators and workers should stack and secure the load so that it will not shift during transport. When the forklift is in motion, the load should be carried as low as possible. 
3. Keep clear of the load. A raised load on a forklift is a hazard to anyone close enough to it to be struck if it falls. Forklift operators and other workers need to make sure to stay out from directly under the load, as well as far enough from the sides and the front of the load if the load rolls or the force of trajectory of a moving load forces throws it forward.
4. Use the correct forklift. Depending on the conditions, i.e., indoor or outdoor; rough terrain or smooth concrete; the size of the load, the forklift must be the appropriate equipment for the situation.
5. Be aware of the terrain. The terrain affects the balance and handling of a forklift. Rough patches or potholes can cause tip-overs. Forklift operators need to know how to operate on inclines, around corners, and on the specific type of terrain. Workers operating forklift operators need to know how to operate the forklift in different types of weather conditions, such as rain, snow, or ice. 
6. Maintain visibility. Markings at the edges of loading docks and other areas where forklifts could roll off should be clearly marked and should include other precautions such as guardrails or chains. Forklift operators coming and going from outside to inside should be aware that the change in lighting from sunlight to indoor light can cause visibility difficulties when they first enter a building. Materials at corners should not be so high that a forklift operator’s visibility of the intersection is obstructed. Mirrors should be used to help operators and pedestrians see around corners.
7. Keep forklift areas separate from pedestrian areas. One of the most common types of forklift accident involves workers who are on foot who are hit by forklifts or falling loads. Where possible, forklifts should be operated in areas separate from workers who are on foot. 

If you’ve been involved in a forklift accident at work in Minnesota, you may be entitled to Minnesota workers’ compensation benefits, including medical expense benefits, wage loss benefits, rehabilitation benefits, and permanent partial disability benefits. If you are hurt at work, make sure you receive all the benefits you are entitled to. For a free, no-obligation consultation regarding your workers’ compensation case, contact Meuser & Associates at 877-746-5680 or click here to send us an email.

Dangers of Arc Flash and Arc Flash Prevention: Minnesota Workers’ Compensation

An arc flash is a short circuit through the air. In an arc flash incident, enormous amounts of concentrated energy explodes outward from electrical equipment. Arc flash is extraordinarily dangerous. Five to ten arc flash explosions occur in electrical equipment every day in the United States. Exposure to an arc flash often results in multiple, serious injuries of workers, and in some cases, arc flash leads to their death. Each year, more than 2,000 workers are treated for severe burns as a result of arc flash injuries. Medical treatment for workers severely injured in arc flash incidents can exceed $1 million.

Arc flash occurs when electrical current flows between two or more separated energized conducting surfaces. It can be caused by:

• Insulation failure.
• Buildup of dust, impurities, and corrosion on insulating surfaces, which can provide a path for current.
• Equipment failure due to use of substandard parts, improper installation, or even normal, wear and tear.
• Birds, insects, and rodents chewing off leads at connections.
• Human error, including dropped tools, accidental contact with electrical systems, and improper work procedures.
  

The outward explosion of energy during an arc flash can create enormous pressure waves strong enough to damage hearing, fracture ribs, collapse lungs, or knock workers down. The pressure waves can also send loose materials, such as pieces of damaged equipment, tools, or other objects through the air at speeds in excess of 700 miles per hour. If these items strike a worker, it can easily cause catastrophic injury or death. A high intensity flash can also cause damage to eyesight. An arc flash can also create a ball of gas with temperatures in excess of 5,000 degrees which can ignite clothing and cause severe burns.

Precautions can be taken to reduce the likelihood of arc flash injuries. Whenever possible, employees should de-energize equipment before beginning work. If it is necessary to work on energized equipment, employees should follow safe work practices, should use appropriate tools, and should wear proper personal protective equipment. Depending on the risk involved, appropriate personal protective equipment might include flame-resistant clothing, helmet or headgear, face shield, safety glasses, insulating gloves, and shoes appropriate for electrical work.

If you or a loved one has been injured at work as a result of an arc flash accident, you may wish to enlist the services of a Minnesota workers’ compensation lawyer. You may be entitled to a variety of benefits, including medical expense benefits, wage loss benefits, permanency benefits, and rehabilitation benefits. If your loved one died as the result of an arc flash accident, you may be eligible for death and dependency benefits. If your injuries are severe, you should focus on getting better. A Minnesota workers’ compensation can help take the stress out of dealing with the insurance company, and can help guide you through the maze of the workers’ compensation system. Keep in mind that in a Minnesota workers’ compensation case, there are no attorney fees unless there is a dispute, and unless we win for you. If the workers’ compensation insurance company pays all appropriate benefits, there are no attorney fees.

To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our Minnesota workers’ compensation lawyers, call Meuser & Associates at 877-746-5680 or click here to send us an email.

Visit us at MeuserLaw.com to learn more about Minnesota Workers' Compensation.

Machine Guards -- Keeping Minnesota Manufacturing Workers Safe

Machines that bend, form, or cut metal or wood, such as punch presses, brake presses, metal stamps, lathes, saws, or drill presses, are obviously powerful enough to cause serious damage to human flesh and bone.

Manufacturing workers who sustain serious injuries in machine accidents most commonly suffer amputations, lacerations, crush injuries, fractures, or de-gloving injuries.

OSHA requires that guarding must be provided to protect operators and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by the point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips, and sparks. OSHA specifically requires that shears, power presses, milling machines, and power saws have guarding at the point of operation, or the area where work is performed on the material being processed. These kinds of machines are most often involved in amputation injuries.

Machine injuries are usually caused by:

• Contact or entanglement with machinery
• Being trapped between the machine and material or fixed structure
• Contact with material in motion
• Being struck by ejected parts of machinery
• Being struck by material ejected from machine
• Release of potential energy
  

Safeguards should meet the following five minimum requirements:

Prevent contact: The safeguard must prevent hands, arms, and any other part of a operator's body from making contact with dangerous moving parts. A good safeguarding system eliminates the possibility of the operator or another worker placing parts of their bodies near hazardous moving parts.

Secure: Operators should not be able to easily remove or tamper with the safeguard, because a safeguard that can easily be made ineffective is no safeguard at all. Guards and safety devices should be made of durable material that will withstand the conditions of normal use. They must be firmly secured to the machine.

Protect from falling objects: The safeguard should ensure that no objects can fall into moving parts. A small tool dropped into a cycling machine could easily become a projectile that could strike and injure someone.

Create no new hazards: A safeguard defeats its own purpose if it creates a hazard such as a shear point, a jagged edge, or an unfinished surface that could cause a laceration. The edges of guards, for instance, should be rolled or bolted in such a way to eliminate sharp edges.
Create no interference: Any safeguard that impedes an operator from performing the job quickly and comfortably might soon be overridden or disregarded. Proper safeguarding may actually enhance efficiency since it relieves the operator's apprehensions about injury.

Allow safe lubrication: If possible, workers should be able to lubricate the machine without removing the safeguards. Locating oil reservoirs outside the guard, with a line leading to the lubrication point, will reduce the need for the operator or maintenance operator to enter the hazardous area.

To avoid catastrophic injury, keep these general guidelines in mind:

• Check that guards are in place at all points where you could contact moving parts before turning the machine on.
• Report any missing or malfunctioning guards. Never use a machine with a missing or malfunctioning guard. Shut the machine down and tag it out. Do not use it again until the problem is fixed.
• Use lockout/tagout procedures when guards must be removed to repair or service a machine.
• Check machines after repair or maintenance to be sure guards are back in place and working properly.

If you’re a Minnesota worker who’s been injured due to a machine accident, you are most likely entitled to Minnesota workers’ compensation benefits, including medical expense benefits, wage loss benefits, permanent partial disability benefits, and/or rehabilitation benefits.

Make sure you protect your rights if you are injured on the job. For a free, no-obligation consultation to learn more about your Minnesota workers’ compensation rights contact Meuser & Associates toll free at 877-746-5680 or click here to send us an email.