Machines certainly make many jobs throughout the nation faster and easier to complete. While the benefits to using such machinery are great, there are downsides as well. If safety protocols are not in place and followed, it is possible that workers could be injured.

A Pittsburgh area worker was injured while working at a chocolate plant earlier this year. The individual suffered a crushed wrist and hand when a machine unexpectedly started. That incident, as well as one that occurred a couple of years ago when a worker injured his or head under similar circumstances, could potentially have been prevented if the machines were properly locked out. That's the contention of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration after an investigation the agency conducted regarding both incidents.

When OSHA finds safety violations during an investigation, it is not uncommon for the employer to face fines. In the case of the head injuries the chocolate plant was assessed more than $84,000 in such fines. The most recent incident resulted in $87,260 in fines being proposed. The idea behind the fines is that they will help to deter safety violations in the future.

Workers who suffer injuries such as these in workplace accidents may need a period of time to recover before going back to work. In these cases it is possible that the injured worker could seek workers’ compensation benefits to help cover that time period. In cases where initial claims are denied or a worker does not receive all that he or she is entitled to, an attorney may be of assistance.

Source: WPXI, “Pa. chocolate plant 'embracing' OSHA after 2 hurt,” The Associated Press, Aug. 13, 2013