An employee of a woodworking business is hospitalized in intensive care after a piece of wood pierced his chest and exited his back.
The unidentified employee is expected to recover.
The employee of American Wood Source of Lebanon, OH, was transported via medical helicopter to undergo surgery. He appeared to be conscious as emergency personnel loaded him onto the helicopter, according to the Journal-News.
The worker suffered the injury while operating machinery. No other details on the accident are available.
OSHA is investigating.
There’s an important point workers and supervisors should know about impalement injuries: If an object pierces part of an employee’s body, it’s best to leave it alone — don’t try to remove it.
Often, removal will cause the person to bleed to death before help arrives. Letting it in place can seal the wound until it can be removed by doctors.
Proof: In 2007, 17-year-old Matt Robinson of Dexter, MO, accidentally shot a three-and-a-half inch nail through his heart at a construction job and lived to tell about it.
He said he wanted to take the nail out but didn’t because he was scared.
He made the right decision, according to doctors. A surgeon said if Robinson had tried to pull the nail out himself, he would have died.
The nail actually plugged the hole in his heart which kept him from bleeding to death.
