Working with HVAC systems such as A/C, heating, and/or refrigeration systems is a job that is physically demanding and potentially dangerous. HVAC workers are at risk of various potential hazards including electrocution, exposure to toxic chemicals and gases, as well as possible injury from falling from heights. These types of injuries are all too common among HVAC workers, especially if they do not have the proper training or the company has not taken the appropriate safety precautions. HVAC technicians take these risks daily and workers’ compensation claims are understandably common for these hardworking individuals.
Workplace Dangers Unique to HVAC Workers
HVAC workers dealing with A/C, heating, and/or refrigerator systems are often required to do a lot of heavy lifting. This may include removing older, heavy equipment and/or moving and installing new equipment. Such physically demanding work can easily result in strains on the body that if ignored and/or not treated properly can impair an HVAC worker’s ability to follow safety measures. HVAC workers should remember to lift from the legs, instead of the back, and never lock the knees helps to minimize injuries. Furthermore, if a piece of HVAC equipment is too heavy to lift, it is critical to find another way to lift and move the equipment. No HVAC equipment is worth the physical pain or financial and medical difficulty of a work-related HVAC injury.
Common Injuries to HVAC Workers
There are several injuries that are common to HVAC workers who handle A/C, heating, and/or refrigerator systems.
Like construction work – or other similarly physically demanding occupations – HVAC system work often leads to injuries in the shoulder and neck. These types of injuries can cause permanent damage if left untreated. A shoulder or neck injury will negatively impact an HVAC worker’s ability to stay safe at the workplace. This is because neck and shoulder injuries not only limit the HVAC worker’s range of motion, a key necessity when it comes to working with equipment, but it can also result is chronic pain and discomfort.
Another common injury suffered by HVAC workers is hand injuries. This is because the occupation often requires cutting and handling delicate thread while still working with 480 volts. For this reason, it is easy for an HVAC worker to suffer hand injuries. Focus and attention to detail is the best way to prevent a hand injury, but even the most careful HVAC workers can be involved in an accident.
Schibell Law Can Help Injured New Jersey HVAC Workers
If you or someone you know has suffered a New Jersey HVAC injury, do not return to work until the injury has been treated by a medical professional and it has fully healed. Also, make sure to speak with the knowledgeable HVAC worker injury attorneys at Schibell Law LLC today, led by Richard Schibell. Piling medical bills and lost wages can cause just as much damage as the physical harm an HVAC worker suffers due to an on-the-job accident. Let us help minimize the personal difficulty you may suffer due to this injury. Time is of the essence in a personal injury claim, so contact our firm today.
