Amputation injuries for workers can be highly traumatic. In some cases, recovery is possible, especially with a clean amputation injury like one from a saw blade. But even this could leave the worker with reduced mobility. In other cases, workers experience crush injuries, which can make healing impossible – or at least much more difficult.
To address this, equipment manufacturers have developed different safety systems. One of them is a two-button activation or control system. How does this keep amputations from occurring?
The hydraulic press
To understand why this is beneficial, consider a hydraulic press being used to make parts for automobiles. A worker may be responsible for putting pieces of metal or other materials on the press and then activating it to shape that material correctly. This is common in an assembly line setup, where the worker may then pass the material on to the next station. They then repeat the process with a new sheet.
But if the worker leaves their hand on the material – holding it in place or simply forgetting, as they perform the same action hundreds of times in a row – the press could cause an amputation injury. With a single-button control, this would always be a risk and workers would have to remember to stay clear of these hazardous areas. But with two-button controls, it is impossible for the machine to start unless the worker’s hands are both out of harm’s way.
These types of safety systems can reduce the odds of accidents, but they do still happen. Workers who have been hurt on the job need to know how to seek proper benefits and/or compensation.