Between January 1st, 2015 and September 10th, 2015 there were 46 workers who suffered
amputations of fingers, toes, hands, or legs at work in the state of Arkansas. These injuries most
commonly occur while employees are operating mechanical machinery without the proper
guards or training. In an effort to combat this and reverse the trend of amputations in Arkansas,
the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has
joined with the Arkansas Department of Labor, the University of Texas at Arlington, and
Northwest Arkansas Community College to host an Amputation Prevention Stand-Down from
September 14-29.
“No worker should ever have to experience this type of debilitating injury. During the stand-
down, we aim to help employers identify and eliminate hazards that could lead to serious harm,”
said John Hermanson, OSHA’s regional administrator in Dallas.
“We’re hoping employers and workers will come away from this event with a better
understanding of amputation hazards and how to correct them before they cause a permanent,
debilitating injury,” said Carlos Reynolds, OSHA’s area director in Little Rock.
If you have any questions about how to help prevent workplace injuries, such as amputations, at
your company, please contact a qualified third party occupational safety and health auditing firm.
And if you operate in the state of Arkansas, it is imperative you update your policies and
procedures relating to machine guarding and amputation risks.
If you have any questions about this stand-down or about your occupational safety and health
policies and procedures, please contact us. If you have anything to add about the importance of
this amputation prevention stand-down, please leave a comment.
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