Professionals in a variety of different industries use power tools. Power tools help reduce the amount of manual physical labor at construction sites and manufacturing facilities. Workers can be more efficient when using power tools to perform repetitive functions. They can also avoid the strain that might come from manually installing each individual screw with a screwdriver instead of a drill.
However, the convenience and speed of power tools do not necessarily mean they are inherently safe for employees. Those who have to consistently use power tools on the job could be at risk of serious injury because of the equipment that their jobs require.
How do power tools injure workers?
Technically, there are many ways in which power tools and other machinery can injure employees. For example, sometimes tools have defective components and could suddenly malfunction at a job site. The worker handling the tool and others nearby could be at risk of an assortment of injuries when a power tool suddenly fails.
Even when they work as intended, power tools can expose workers to two common injury risks. The first has to do with accidental contact. Power tools move fast and can therefore do significant damage to the human body. A power drill or reciprocating saw could cause significant traumatic injuries to the person operating the device. All it takes is a mistake in timing or a startling noise for a worker to severely injure themselves or someone else with the power tool they use to perform their job.
Even if workers avoid incidents in which they or someone else could incur severe injury, power tools can still hurt them. The vibrations generated by power tools are damaging all on their own. The more time workers spend handling power tools, the more likely they are to develop vibration-related injuries.
In some cases, power tools can cause a loss of strength and feelings of numbness. Workers regularly exposed to vibrations may eventually have to change job functions so that they no longer have to spend hours handling vibrating tools to do their jobs.
Whether the worker’s medical condition relates to repetitively handling power tools or a mistake when using one for work, they can potentially qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation can replace their lost wages or supplement their reduced earning potential. It can also help pay for any medical care required by the employee with the injury.
Filing a workers’ compensation claim can help professionals reduce the setbacks they experience for diligently performing their jobs. Most injurious on-the-job incidents involving power tools qualify a worker for workers’ compensation benefits.
