FACTS

Reasons why equipment fails and causes accidents include:

1. Wear and tear. Parts in machinery and tools will wear down over time due to their constant use. At some point, they must be replaced due to wear and tear. 
2. Defective design or manufacture. In some cases, the machinery, equipment, or tools were designed or manufactured improperly. 
3. Lack of training. Workers must be trained in the safe use of heavy equipment, like forklifts, bulldozers, and other heavy machinery and equipment, before using them on the job. 
4. Improper maintenance. Employers have a duty to inspect, repair, and replace machinery, equipment, and tools on a regular basis. 
5. Operator error. Many accidents occur when operators of equipment and machinery make errors or engage in negligent actions. 
6. Third-party negligence. In some cases, a third party, such as a sub-contractor or supplier, may have provided the machinery, operated it, or maintained it and caused an accident due to negligence. 
7. Heavy machinery is widely deployed in construction, mining, manufacturing, and warehousing. Studies show that occupational accidents involving heavy machinery account for a significant percentage of serious injuries and fatalities.   

STATS

• In 2016, contact with equipment and objects was one of the six leading causes of workers’ deaths, and being struck by or caught between machinery and equipment is one of the “fatal four” causes of construction worker deaths.
• Serious nonfatal injuries resulting from workers being caught in machinery totaled 34,000 and were the leading cause of amputations among private industry wage and salary workers.
• Manufacturing is generally machine intensive, and it accounted for the largest portion (41 percent) of the deaths resulting from workers being caught in operating machinery.
• According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, machinery accidents are responsible for over 800 fatalities and approximately 18,000 amputations, crushing injuries, lacerations, and abrasions each year in the United States.