Attorney for Texas Amazon Employees Injured in Forklift Accidents – Pt. 2
On October 2, 2019, an Amazon employee in Texas allegedly lost an extremity in a forklift-related Dallas work accident at 33333 LBJ Freeway. Amazon is an employer that likely does not subscribe to workers’ compensation in the state.
Details provided by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) indicate that the following occurred, resulting in hospitalization as well as an amputation:
- An Amazon employee was working as a forklift operator on October 2, 2019, when his foot became caught against a rail barrier. An injury occurred that resulted in the foot being surgically removed.
Forklift accidents frequently occur, and it is essential for employers to follow OSHA requirements in connection with the use of forklifts to avoid serious injuries and workplace fatalities. The following are a few more requirements for workplace safety involving forklifts:
- When making turns, forklift operators must proceed with caution, particularly if working in narrow aisles or confined spaces. When a forklift truck turns corners the back of the truck swings in the opposite direction of the turn.
- Never make a turn if the forks are elevated.
- Never make a turn while on a grade. On even a very small grade, a forklift could tip over laterally.
- Reduce the speed of a forklift before making a turn. [29 CFR 1910.178(n)(15)]
Learn more in Pt. 1 and this ongoing series.
The purpose of work injury posts on this website is to provide helpful resources for workers who have been injured in Texas work accidents. This is particularly applicable when the employer has opted not to be a workers’ comp participant in the state. This site never purposes to infer misdeeds on the part of organizations or individuals.
–Guest Contributor
smchugh
smchugh