Crush injuries are among some of the most intense workplace injuries that you can suffer from. They can affect anyone at any time but have an especially high rate of prevalence among construction workers.
As a worker in an at-risk industry, it is important to understand what crush injuries are, how they impact the body and what sort of short and long-term ramifications may result from them.
What affects the damage?
Medline Plus discusses the potential short and long-term health effects of crush injuries. First, the effects of a crush injury will differ depending on numerous factors such as your state of overall health at the time of the incident. Other impacting factors include the speed the item fell or hit you at, the weight of the item, how long it was on your body, how quickly you got professional medical help and what area of your body is crushed.
The most common crush injuries involve extremities, in particular the hands and feet. Foot crush injuries often involve dropping heavy items on them from above, or heavy equipment and machinery running them over. Injuries to the trunk often involve getting hit by large falling items or struck by moving vehicles.
What are the biggest risks?
With crush injuries to extremities, the biggest risk tends to be amputation. Of course, gangrene and sepsis may also occur, along with necrosis of the tissue in the area which will likely die at a fast rate. With crush injuries to the trunk, your biggest concern will likely be the possibility of organ failure. Sepsis and infection may also occur here, too.
Any type of crush injury can take months or years to heal from. In this time, you will likely struggle to work in an active and physical field. This is why many workers in your position will seek compensation for the damage they suffered on the clock.
