Workplace accidents are all too common. Last week, a Southern California man was the victim of a terrible industrial accident. The accident happened at an aviation plant in Southern California. Orange County Fire Authority responded to the scene just before midnight, and the man was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
The industrial accident happened as workers were turning a large piece of metal when the man’s arm got caught and subsequently amputated by a lathe. According to authorities, the man’s arm was severed below the elbow in an “immediate and traumatic amputation.” The victim was rushed to Santa Ana Hospital, and it remains to be seen if medical professionals will be able to reattach the arm.
An accident such as this typically occurs quickly and with little warning. In this case we don’t know whether the proper safety procedures were followed. However, in many accidents it is determined that safety guidelines were either not in place or were not being properly executed. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is planning an investigation of the industrial accident to determine the cause.
Accidents that occur in the workplace can be quite serious and may require immediate and long-term medical attention. This industrial accident shows us just how quickly a situation can turn into a devastating tragedy. The man will likely need to undergo extensive treatment, and is likely facing a long recovery process. Workers’ compensation benefits should provide the injured man for covered medical expenses and lost income from work as he begins the long road back.
Source: UTSanDiego.com, “Worker’s arm severed by industrial lathe,” May 18, 2012