(757) 455-8889

Industrial Maintenance Work Accident Lawyer

When North Carolina industrial experts debate maintenance and safety, they could be talking about either one of two things:

  • How regular or adequate maintenance makes the work environment safer;
  • Or, how workers are at risk when doing maintenance work.

Even though the first proposition is true and an interesting subject in its own right, we would like to go into more detail on the second subject in this article.

Attorney Joseph Miller’s FREE book restores the truth about Workers’ Compensation in North Carolina. Download now: The Nine Biggest Myths About North Carolina Workplace Injuries, which answers all the questions you have about workplace injuries, claims and benefits.

What exactly does maintenance work mean?

Most plants, industrial facilities, buildings and installations operate, if not 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at least during office hours. When equipment and machinery in a power station, chemical plant, logistics center or meat processing facility need to be serviced, they are switched off and a crew of specialists starts servicing the installation, dismounting, cleaning, lubricating, replacing parts or repairing components.

Maintenance can be done every night, for instance in food producing plants, or once a year when the entire plant is shut down.

Is maintenance work dangerous?

Maintenance work can be dangerous for many reasons:

  • A major source of accidents is the fact that most maintenance work is executed by sub-contractors, which creates a unique set of communication and adaptation problems;
  • Maintenance workers often work in different environments, with different tools and on different types of equipment;
  • Many times the work is performed very close to running equipment and under intense time pressure, often at night and during very long hours;
  • A lot of maintenance work is executed in excessive heat or cold, in confined spaces or high up while exposing workers to contamination, electrocution, burns or explosion.

Under North Carolina’s workers comp system, employees injured at work can be entitled to receive medical and wage benefits. But, the system often works imperfectly leaving the worker and his or her family stranded with serious issues: loss of income, high medical bills, inadequate medical treatment, alternative work opportunities, return-to-work pressure, wrong impairment rating, allegation of pre-existing condition and more.

North Carolina’s maintenance workers and all employees who have been injured at work deserve to be fully protected against insurance carriers and employers who are quick to deny or limit their rights.

If you have been hurt at work, contact Joe Miller Law in Elizabeth City, where attorney Joseph Miller, Esq has been representing injured North Carolina workers for over 20 years. Call us locally 757-455-8889 or toll-free 888-694-1671 or send us an e-mail for a FREE, no commitment discussion of your case.

Virginia Beach Office

5500-B Greenwich Rd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23462

Elizabeth City Office
(by appointment only)
507 E Main St #K
Elizabeth City, NC 27907

If you are looking at this site, you or a loved one has probably been hurt. If that's true, you've come to the right place. Helping people who have been hurt is what we do. In fact, it is all we do. Joe Miller Law is a law firm concentrating exclusively on representing people who are injured by the carelessness of others or those hurt on the job. We provide the highest quality legal services to people who have been seriously injured. We practice Personal Injury law and Workmens' Compensation law in both Virginia and North Carolina.