While it is possible for any worker in any occupation to be injured while doing his or her job, most would agree that industrial sites can be particularly dangerous. Recently an incident, that could have potentially led to serious work injuries, occurred at a North American Hoganas plant, located in western Pennsylvania. A fire broke out at the plant.

According to the president and chief executive officer of the business, one of the furnaces malfunctioned causing it to catch on fire. The furnace had recently had a new liner put in which requires seasoning. It was during the seasoning, which is accomplished by heating the furnace to a certain temperature to melt materials, that the fire broke out.

The outcome of this industrial accident could have been much worse than it was. Though the building in which the furnace is housed needs to be fixed, thankfully workers at the plant were all able to escape without injury. This is fortunate since burns are some of the most painful and difficult injuries to recover from.

Had anyone been injured in the fire it is almost certain that the person would seek workers' compensation benefits while he or she recovered. Employers throughout the state of Pennsylvania are required to carry workers' compensation insurance precisely for these types of accidents. The benefits vary depending on the seriousness of the injury and can be awarded for both short as well as long durations.

While it is of course good that such benefits are available to injured workers, obtaining them is not always easy. Accordingly, many find that it is helpful to work with a lawyer who handles such matters.

Source: York Daily Record, "Workers get out OK at Pa. plant with furnace fire," The Associated Press, Jan. 8, 2013