Manufacturing is the backbone of Pennsylvania’s economy, with tens of thousands of workers in Southwestern Pennsylvania and across the Commonwealth employed in steel, machinery, plastics, food production, and other industrial facilities. While these jobs are essential, they often involve heavy machinery, repetitive motion, exposure to chemicals, and physically demanding labor—all of which carry the risk of workplace injury.
If you or a loved one were injured in a manufacturing job, understanding how manufacturing workers’ compensation works in Pennsylvania is critical to protecting your health, income, and future.
Common Workplace Injuries for Manufacturing Workers
According to the 2024 Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Annual Report, there were 21,453 reported workplace injuries in the manufacturing sector in Pennsylvania in 2024. That number highlights just how risky these jobs can be.
Manufacturing workers face some of the highest rates of workplace injuries in Pennsylvania. These include:
- Repetitive strain injuries from assembly-line or machine work.
- Back, neck, and shoulder injuries from lifting, bending, and carrying heavy materials.
- Crush injuries and amputations caused by machinery or equipment malfunctions.
- Burns and chemical exposure from industrial solvents, acids, or heated machinery.
- Hearing loss from long-term exposure to high noise levels.
- Slips, trips, and falls on factory floors or loading docks.
Each of these injuries can have long-term effects, sometimes preventing you from returning to the same type of work.
How Manufacturing Workers’ Compensation Works in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania law requires nearly all employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance. If you’re hurt on the job in a manufacturing plant, workers’ compensation may provide:
- Medical benefits for all necessary treatment, including surgery, rehabilitation, and medications.
- Wage-loss benefits if you can’t work or can only work at reduced pay.
- Specific loss benefits if you lose the use of a body part (such as a hand, arm, or finger) “for all practical intents and purposes.”
- Vocational rehabilitation if you can’t return to your previous manufacturing job.
Importantly, workers’ compensation is a no-fault system—you do not have to prove your employer was negligent, only that the injury occurred on the job.
Steps to Take After a Manufacturing Workplace Injury
- Report the injury immediately.
Notify your supervisor or employer right away. Pennsylvania law requires that you report your injury within 120 days, but the sooner the better.
- Seek medical attention.
Your employer may have a posted list of panel physicians. If all requirements are met, you may need to be treated by one of these providers for the first 90 days. Emergency treatment, however, should never be delayed.
- File a workers’ compensation claim.
Your employer should notify its workers’ compensation insurance carrier after your report. The insurer then decides whether to accept or deny your claim.
- Contact an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.
Manufacturing injury claims are often contested, especially when they involve long-term disability, repetitive motion injuries, or serious accidents like amputations. An attorney like Mitch Dugan can help ensure your claim is properly documented, challenged if denied, and provides all the benefits you deserve.
What If Your Manufacturing Workers’ Compensation Claim Is Denied?
If your claim is denied or benefits are delayed:
- Contact an attorney immediately.
Dugan & Associates has decades of experience handling denied and disputed workers’ compensation claims in Pennsylvania.
- File a claim petition.
This requests a hearing before a Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Judge, who will review the evidence and decide if you are entitled to benefits.
- Prepare for the hearing.
You’ll need medical records, evidence of your injury, and sometimes testimony from doctors and vocational experts.
What if Your Workers’ Compensation Claim Was Accepted BUT There Are Additional Problems with the Insurance Carrier?
Even though your claim was accepted, the insurance carrier may schedule you for an exam with their doctor or a vocational expert. They may also try to force you back to work or even attempt to modify, suspend, or terminate your worker’s compensation benefits.
Below are four common occurrences injured manufacturing workers experience with worker’s compensation insurance carriers. In all four instances, you should consult with a workers’ compensation lawyer immediately.
- Insurance Medical Exams (IMEs) are when the insurance carrier wants you to be seen by one of their doctors in hopes their doctor will say you’ve recovered or can return to work at full duty or in some capacity
- Notice of Ability to Return to Work or Job Offer is when either your doctor or the insurance doctor releases you to return to work in some capacity and the insurance carrier attempts to stop or reduce your checks.
- Vocational Evaluations (VEs) occur when you are released to modified duty by either your doctor and/or the insurance carrier’s doctor and your employer can’t accommodate the restrictions. The insurance company then asserts there are other jobs you can perform to stop or reduce your workers’ compensation checks.
- Petitions to Modify, Suspend, or Terminate Benefits are when the insurance company attempts to reduce or stop your checks and/or medical benefits. These petitions are common but should be taken seriously.
Protecting Your Future After a Manufacturing Injury
Recovering from a manufacturing injury isn’t just about healing physically—it’s also about securing your family’s financial future. Workers’ compensation benefits may cover:
- Hospital and surgical costs
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Lost wages while you recover
- Ongoing benefits if you can’t return to your old job
But keep in mind: insurance companies often challenge claims, schedule independent medical exams, or try to reduce your benefits as we highlighted earlier. Having strong legal representation can make the difference in whether you receive full compensation.
We Listen and Fight for Manufacturing Workers in Pennsylvania
At Dugan & Associates, we understand the risks manufacturing workers face every day. When an injury happens, the workers’ compensation system can be complicated and overwhelming. That’s where we come in. We have decades of experience representing injured workers across Southwestern Pennsylvania. We understand the complexities of the workers’ compensation system and know how to maximize your benefits.
If you or a loved one works in manufacturing as was injured, contact us today by completing the form below or calling us at 412-353-3572 to schedule a free consultation.
We listen and genuinely care about your well-being. If there is no recovery of compensation, there is no fee. Let us put our experience to work for you—always fighting for the check you deserve.
