Articles Posted in Burns

In the state Senate, a bill was introduced this year that could enhance the benefits allowed for injuries involving permanent disfigurement under the Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Act. Currently, workers here who sustain disfigurement on their legs, arms, and torsos are not entitled to work injury compensation for those injuries, although they may still receive other benefits for income loss, medical care, and non-scar based disfigurements.

Massachusetts workers’ compensation for permanent scarring is only provided for disfigurement that occurs to the neck, face, or hands. State workers’ compensation law awards a lump-sum payment to these permanently scarred or disfigured workers. If the injury is purely scar-based, the amount of the award will depend on the size of the scar and whether discoloration occurred.

The bill would allow workers disfigured on the lower areas of their body to get compensation too.

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Two workers sustained burn injuries in a Newbury, MA construction accident on Tuesday. The incident took place in a trench close to a gas line.

At the time, crews were replacing old gas pipes when a flash fire ignited as a worker was welding a cap onto the old gas line. According to firefighters, there was still some residual gas, which was ignited by the welding torch.

Another worker ran to the trench, pulling the other man out. Both men were taken to the hospital. The worker who was in a trench when the fire happened sustained severe burn injuries to his face. The other worker sustained minor burns from the rescue.

NStar and state authorities are investigating a gas explosion in Shrewsbury that injured a gas worker.

A spokesman for NStar said that the gas explosion destroyed a backhoe, and caused nearly 150 nearby gas customers to lose service for hours. One worker was treated for a burn injury as a result of the blaze.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will investigate the accident further.

Burns are common injuries in the workplace. Regardless of their cause, burns can be incredibly painful and may cause long-term complications, scars, disfigurement, and even death. Burns are classified into three categories: superficial, partial-thickness, and full-thickness. When workers are injured on the job, regardless of their injury, it is in their best interest to seek the advice and assistance of an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.
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An employee was seriously burned during a flash fire at a Lynn chemical plant on Wednesday morning.

Lynn firefighters responded to C.L. Hauthaway Corporation, a plant that produces polymers and finishing compounds, after a fire ignited while an employee was mixing chemicals in a large vat.

“Something caused the chemicals or the chemical vapors to flash,” Lynn District Fire Chief Stephen Archer said. Firefighters are still unsure of what exactly caused the fire. The man suffered serious burns to his face, arms, and hands, and the building’s automatic sprinkler system was activated to help stop the spread of fire.

A hazardous materials team was dispatched to inspect the building, and the crew was able to determine that a formal cleanup was not necessary. At the time of the explosion, the building was evacuated. The incident remains under investigation.

Burns are a common type of injury in workplaces and can be caused from a variety of reasons including explosions, chemical spills, and construction incidents. Regardless of their cause, burns can be incredibly painful and can often lead to infection, permanent damage, disfigurement, and scars.
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