Accidents That Can Lead To Workers' Comp Cases For A Butchery Employee
Posted on: 13 December 2018
If you work at a butchery, you're fully aware of the risks of the job. But, as with any type of work, the right approach to safety can allow you to complete your shift without any injuries. Unfortunately, there are certain things that are beyond your control, and you could find yourself with an injury for which you blame your employer. In this scenario, you need to contact a workers' compensation attorney to determine if your claim has merit. If the attorney can identify negligence on behalf of the employer, you may have a successful suit on your hands. Here are some accidents that can occur.
Knife Injuries
Perhaps the biggest concern in a butchery is getting cut with a knife. Given the number of cuts that you make in a given day, there's always the risk of hurting yourself. Cutting yourself is unfortunate, but it won't automatically result in a workers' compensation case. You need to identify some type of negligence on behalf of your employer. One example could be your employer failing to supply you with anti-cut gloves to reduce your risk of an injury, or perhaps a colleague bumping into you while walking past, causing you to cut yourself. For the latter injury, your attorney might argue that the employer had too many people working in too small of a space.
Grinder Injuries
You probably spend at least part of your day working with meat grinders to make ground meat, sausages, and other types of products. These machines have risks, but the right approach can allow you to operate them safely. However, if a machine isn't working properly — or your employer has removed one of the safety guards to allow you to work quicker — there could be a risk of an injury. These are clear examples of the butchery owner failing to provide a safe place of work, which your attorney will use to argue negligence.
Crush Injuries
Crush injuries are possible in a butchery. It's common for butcheries to have large cuts of meat hanging on hooks in a cool area — entire sides of beef, for example. If you're working with these cuts, you need to be careful of their weight. Typically, they're hung to a track mounted to the ceiling, allowing you to move them around safely. However, if your employer has failed to adequately maintain this task, it's possible that one of these pieces could fall on you and perhaps hurt your foot or leg, leading to time off work and medical expenses.
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