An astonishing number of industrial plants and factories and manufacturing facilities make their home here in our part of the country. Both Illinois and Indiana have significant work forces employed not only in steel mills and automotive manufacturing, but in food processing, agriculture, microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, warehousing, distribution, transportation, maritime, and logistics. Read, “Illinois’ Thriving Industries,” published by the Illinois Economic Development Corporation and “Economic Growth in Indiana: Key Industries Driving the State’s Success,” published by IndianaInfo.
Many of these workers are trained and experienced at working in complex job sites where tasks involve various types of power tools, machines, or equipment with components that are known to be hazardous and even life-threatening. Dangers come in different ways, depending upon the task, such as:
- point of operation, where the worker is performing work on the machine itself;
- power-transmission, where the worker is near to things like flywheels; pulleys; belts; chains; couplings; spindles; cams; gears; or other parts that transmit energy;
- movement, where the worker is working with or near components in motion as part of the machine’s purpose (think reciprocating; rotating; transversing).
All of these dangers put workers at risk of one of the most horrific and terrifying work injuries that a person can suffer on the job: loss of limb, or amputation. Read: OSHA Fact Sheet, Amputations. Also read: Traumatic Amputations in Industrial Accidents.
Common Amputation Dangers for the Factory Worker
For those industrial workers in Chicagoland, greater Illinois, or the State of Indiana, it is vital to know the tremendous risks that come with working on or near any type of tool or piece of machinery or equipment on the job. In an instant, a work accident can result in a traumatic amputation where the worker’s life is forever changed.
Any industrial machine that moves in any way at all comes with an injury risk. Some motion is particularly dangerous, and the worker must know to be aware here – and that while there are duties established by law to protect against harm, all too often these duties are ignored or disrespected. That is when preventable amputation accidents can happen and tragedy can result.
It is shocking to learn how often workers suffer amputations in an on-the-job accident. A recent study of worker injuries reported to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found that almost 30 workers suffered an amputation each day. Read, “An average of 27 workers a day suffer amputation or hospitalization, according to new OSHA data from 29 states,” written by Debbie Berkowitz and Patrick Dixon and published by the Economic Policy Institute on March 30, 2023.
How does this happen and why are workers suffering loss of limbs so often in work accidents? It is because they work in very risky jobsites. Commonplace industrial dangers of amputation accidents for those on the job in plants, mills, or factories are described by OSHA as follows:
- Rotating – circular movement of couplings, cams, clutches, flywheels, and spindles as well as shaft ends and rotating collars that may grip clothing or otherwise force a body part into a dangerous location.
- Reciprocating – back-and-forth or up-and-down action that may strike or entrap a worker between a moving part and a fixed object.
- Transversing – movement in a straight, continuous line that may strike or catch a worker in a pinch or shear point created between the moving part and a fixed object.
- Cutting – action generated during sawing, boring, drilling, milling, slicing, and slitting.
- Punching – motion resulting when a machine moves a slide (ram) to stamp or blank metal or other material.
- Shearing – movement of a powered slide or knife during metal trimming or shearing.
- Bending – action occurring when power is applied to a slide to draw or form metal or other materials.
Also read: Amputations in Factory Work: Severe or Deadly Manufacturing Accidents; and Amputation Injuries from On-the-Job Work Accidents in Indiana or Illinois.
Duties of Care and Safety Owed to Workers Against Amputation Accidents
In both Illinois and Indiana, there are laws on the books designed to protect people against amputation accidents while at work. State statutes and federal regulations as well as court case precedents all work to keep workers safe from loss of limb injuries. They include the following:
- 29 CFR Part 1910 Subparts O and P (machinery and machine guarding);
- 29 CFR 1926 Subpart I (hand tools and powered tools);
- 29 CFR Part 1928 Subpart D (agricultural equipment); and
- 29 CFR Part 1915 Subparts C, H, and J; 29 CFR Part 1917 Subparts B, C, and G; and 29 CFR Part 1918 Subparts F, G, and H (maritime operations).
Workers should be able to see worksites where things like physical barriers to dangerous components are in place and inspected often to make sure they are in good working order (machine guards). They should also confirm there are things like safety devices in place, as needed, for the particular jobsite. These are things that block some points of machine operation from the worker’s hands or feet, etc. And these, too, should be routinely maintained (think lubricated, tested) and repaired or replaced as needed to make sure workers are kept safe.
There should be warning signs and warning labels as necessary. Proper personal protective equipment (PPE) should be provided to the worker specific not only to the tasks at hand, but to the height and weight of the worker. PPE that does not fit does not work to keep someone properly protected.
Safety regulations are not a privilege for the worker; they are a right. Violations of these safety duties by an employer, or others with duties of care because of possession or control of aspects of the workplace, are illegal. They can form the basis of a complaint filed with OSHA as well as civil claims for damages based upon state laws like premises liability, product liability, or negligence.
Read, OSHA Worker Rights and Protections published by OSHA as well as Workplace Safety and OSHA Regulations in Indiana and Illinois.
Justice for Workers Suffering Amputation on the Job in Illinois or Indiana
Amputations are always heart-wrenching events, where not only the worker but family and friends all suffer an excruciating loss. Even a small loss of limb, like the tip of a finger, is life-altering. The amputation of a hand, foot, arm: these are devastating and life-threatening. Without proper care and treatment, workers can die from an amputation accident.
There is incredible pain and suffering from the injury itself, as well as during recovery. All too often, lives are changed. The worker can no longer live life as before the work accident. The worker may not even be able to earn a living at all, or only after extensive rehabilitation and retraining.
In both Illinois and Indiana, legal redress is available for injured workers where they can investigate the incident to find civil liability that exists independently of any workers’ compensation benefits provided by the employer’s insurance policy.
With the help of a legal advocate and accident reconstruction expert, the amputation accident may be revealed to have been caused by breaches in legal duties by third parties, such as the owner of the premises; those who manufactured or designed the machine or product involved in the event; contractors and supervisors on the site; and more.
For more, read:
- Pain Awareness: Claims to Cover an Accident Victim’s Pain Damages
- The Two Main Differences Between Workers Compensation and Personal Injury Claims for Accident Victims in Indiana and Illinois
- Premises Liability and Workplace Accidents: Third Party Injury Claims
- Amputation and Disfigurement Damages After Chicago Accident
- The 2025 OSHA Top Ten List of Most Frequently Cited Workplace Safety Standards: Warning to Workers.
Amputation injuries are suffered by far too many workers in Illinois and Indiana in preventable work accidents, where there have been failures or breaches in legal duties of care and safety. Please be careful out there!
