Industrial Machinery Accident Lawsuits: Improper Guarding and Safeguarding Devices

by Daniel J. O'Brien [email protected]

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Working with heavy machinery and industrial machines can often lead to serious permanent injuries.  One of the most severe injuries resulting from industrial machinery accidents is amputation, which is disabling and leads to permanent disability.  Therefore, it is critical to safeguard machines.

There are two primary methods to safeguarding machines:

1. guards; and

2. safeguarding devices.

Guards for Machines

Guards are physical barriers that enclose dangerous machine parts and prevent the employees from coming into contact with these parts.

Guards should be strong and properly secured so that they cannot be removed.  They should be fastened with screws, bolts or fasteners so that a tool is necessary to remove them.

Safeguarding Devices

Safeguarding devices are controls or attachments that prevent the start of hazardous motion or stop the machine from operation.

Therefore, a safeguarding device may stop the machine if a body part or hand is placed in a dangerous area of the machine or it may require the operator to use both hands on machine controls so hands would not be placed in a dangerous area.

Improper Design of Guards and Safeguarding Devices

When guards and safeguarding devices are not designed properly, accidents and unnecessary injuries can happen.

Many machine operators who get injured at work on machines often do not know that they have other legal remedies beyond worker's compensation.  Workers also think that they do not have a case because the machines have guards or safeguarding devices.  Just because machines have guards or safeguarding devices does not mean they are properly designed or applied.  If guards have design defects, workers may also have a case against the following parties:

• machine manufacturer;
• guard manufacturer; or
• safeguarding devices manufacturer.

After Being Injured on an Industrial Machine

If you were injured by an industrial machine and would like more information, contact our Pennsylvania industrial machinery accident lawyers.  We also help injured workers in New Jersey. 877.944.8396

Related Improperly Machine Guards and Injury Articles:

• Industrial Machinery Accidents- What You Need To Know About Design Defects (Part A: Improper Guarding)
• Work on Industrial Heavy Machines? Make Sure Machines are Properly Guarded to Prevent Crush Injuries|PA & NJ Injury Lawyers

Published: 8-4-12