Our distinguished firm has decades of experience fighting for injured workers and their families in Little Silver, Ocean Township, Sea Bright, Red Bank, Freehold, Middletown, Wall, and other Monmouth County communities. Not only do we thoroughly address your workers’ compensation concerns, but if lack of safety precautions, inadequate training, welding equipment malfunction, or security safeguard failures led your or your loved one’s injuries, we investigate and pursue personal injury, premises liability, or product liability claims to recover the complete compensation you are entitled to. Do not forgo justice or assertion of your rights after suffering welding accident injuries or losing a loved one due to a welding accident in New Jersey. Trust attorneys at Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh and get started with a free consultation at (732) 440-3950 today.
Out of the entire construction industry, welding is the most dangerous occupation with the highest risk, according to the BLS. Some of the safety risks and perils inherent in welding occupations include but are not limited to the following:
Welding involves working with extraordinarily high temperatures, which can cause severe and even life-altering burn injuries.
Welding produces harmful fumes and gasses, including ozone, carbon monoxide, and metal fumes. These can cause serious health problems, including lung damage, cancer, and other respiratory illnesses.
Welding involves working with electricity, which can lead to electric shock, especially if a job site is not following proper safety precautions. Risk of fire and explosion: Welding can create sparks that ignite flammable materials, leading to fires and explosions.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates and provides safety standards for welding industries and occupations by specifying and enforcing standards and providing training, outreach, education, and assistance. On a job site like a construction site where welders frequently work, it is the role of the construction site supervisor to ensure OSHA standards and safety guidelines are being put into effect and met. OSHA has many strict standards and policies designed to create safe working conditions for welders, cutters, brazers, and many other industrial occupations.
As a result of OSHA regulations, welders must: wear appropriate protective equipment, such as welding gloves and a welding helmet, are prohibited from welding in poorly ventilated areas, must use safety screens when welding, and be advised of any conceivable fire hazards. If an individual is injured while welding on the job, OSHA can help by investigating the incident to establish whether there were any safety violations.
500,000 workers are injured in welding accidents yearly, and the likelihood of fatal injuries is over four deaths for every thousand workers during their careers. To further put into perspective the dangers of welding, the rate of injury in welding is approximately a hundred times more likely than all other workers’ average injury rate. Burns, cuts, lacerations, fractures, eye injuries, hearing loss, tinnitus (a ringing in the ears), lung damage, and related cancers are all common injuries observed in the welding industry.
The following list briefly describes some of the most common welding career injuries.
Many components play a role in the cause of welding injuries. Using different equipment to apply high temperatures (e.g., 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit) to various metals and several additional hazardous activities comprises a welder’s workday, exposing them to a higher risk of accidents and injuries. A factory setting may offer additional safety features and easier access to emergency medical care, but these dangerous tasks are most commonly performed on construction sites.
The increased chance of injuries and health threats occurs if workers are not provided proper personal protective equipment (PPE), welding under unsafe working conditions, or use faulty equipment. Work environments where supervisors do not follow OSHA guidelines or neglect proper safety precautions heighten the potential for injury.
A personal injury claim is often against a person, company, or entity responsible for a welding accident. For example, a worker may file a personal injury claim if they believe an accident resulted from the neglect or oversight of another party, such as a manufacturer of defective welding equipment. Such claims seek to recover damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other losses.
In addition, worker’s compensation claim benefits may not cover all medical costs and damages. Further, all parties responsible for the occurrence of an accident and resulting injury should be held accountable. Where applicable, a personal injury lawsuit can help hold appropriate parties liable, fill a gap in compensation and provide additional and often intangible losses.
If a welding accident at work has left you or a loved one injured and suffering, you have options when seeking recovery for damages and rightfully owed compensation. However, filing a workers’ compensation claim can be a demanding and confusing process, particularly while trying to heal from a work-related accident’s painful and sometimes devastating effects. Likewise, a personal injury lawsuit can seem complex and challenging, but they are not impossible to pursue or successfully achieve. You do not have to navigate these critical decisions, processes, and the legal system alone.
Contact an experienced NJ welding accident attorney at Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh who can apply skill and knowledge to your claim and ensure you receive the entirety of your due compensation. Call (732) 440-3950 for seasoned counsel from our Personal Injury lawyers. We represent injured workers in Asbury Park, Eatontown, Colts Neck, Manasquan, Lake Como, Keansburg, and towns throughout Monmouth County and Southern New Jersey.