Forklift Injuries - Common in Houston and all over Texas
Houston's Michael Grossman, personal injury attorney, can help get you the result you desire from your forklift injury case.
Forklifts are renowned for their ability to quickly and efficiently move heavy loads in confined spaces. Many of the forklifts used in the United States are operated inside of warehouses and stores to move merchandise and equipment. It is because of their versatility and efficiency that thousands of forklifts are used at construction sites around the state of Texas each day. Every year forklifts are involved in over 20,000 injuries and their use results in more that 100 job-related fatalities.
Common injuries resulting from forklift misuse
Injuries resulting from the use of forklifts typically result from: overloading forklifts causing them to overturn, striking or crushing bystanders with a forklift, accidentally driving forklifts off of loading docks, other employees falling while standing on elevated pallets. OSHA attributes the majority of employee injuries to the lack of safe operating procedures, lack of enforcement of safety rules and procedures, and insufficient or non-existent training for employees operating forklifts.
Injuries involving forklifts can occur not only to the forklift operator but also to those working around the forklift. Accidents involving forklifts often result in severe personal injury including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and death.
Who is responsible for my injuries?
Under Texas law, your employer must provide you with a safe working environment free from unnecessary hazards, including the improper use of forklifts. In addition, OSHA has promulgated a number of regulations employers are required to follow in when using forklifts:
- Under Federal law, it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to operate a forklift. Additionally it is illegal for anyone over the age of 18 to operate a forklift if they have not been trained and certified.
- Federal law requires that the employer ensure that the forklift operator is competent to safely operate a forklift.
- Employers are required to retrain an employee whenever that employee is observed operating a forklift in an unsafe manner, the forklift operator has been involved in an accident or near miss, or when the forklift operator has been assigned to operate a different type of forklift.
- Forklift manufacturers are required to equip sit-down type forklifts with a personal restraint system for the operator.
Accidents involving the use of forklifts on construction sites are all too common place. If you have been injured as a result of your operating of a forklift or the negligence of someone else operating a forklift, please contact Grossman Law Offices so that one of our forklift injury attorneys in Houston may provide you with a free consultation.