Manufacturing parks in South Carolina are vital economic engines - rice mills, automotive parts factories, food-processing plants, and metal fabrication shops all line the Upstate and Lowcountry. But with heavy machinery, hazardous materials, repetitive tasks and tight production schedules comes elevated risk for serious workplace injuries. This article explores the regulatory environment, typical claim scenarios, and cost implications of manufacturing injuries in South Carolina, and walks through what injured workers should know.
The Regulatory Framework: Safety First
Manufacturers in South Carolina must comply with both federal law (Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, or OSHA) and state-level statutes. The South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act (Title 42) governs on-the-job injuries, defining an “accident” and the compensable benefits for injured workers.
Under this regime, when a worker is injured in a manufacturing facility, they are typically covered by the no-fault workers’ comp system: they don’t need to prove employer negligence to receive benefits. However, when a third-party is involved (for example, a contractor on site, defective equipment manufacturer, or premises owner) there may be additional liability beyond workers’ comp.
Employers must also adhere to safety protocols, machine maintenance, training programs, hazard communication and equipment-guarding rules, especially applicable in manufacturing environments. For example, a South Carolina resource lists equipment malfunction, lack of lock-out/tag-out controls and forklift collisions among common causes of manufacturing injuries.
Claim Types & Cost Considerations
Workers’ Compensation Claims
In a manufacturing accident - say a worker’s arm is caught in a conveyor, or they inhale chemical fumes - the injured employee can claim medical expenses, wage replacement (typically two-thirds of their average weekly wage under many SC programs) and possibly disability benefits if they cannot return to work.
Third-Party or Product Liability Claims
If a non-employer party contributed to the injury - such as faulty machinery whose manufacturer knew of defects - the injured worker may have a separate personal injury or product-liability claim in addition to workers’ comp. Because most employer tort liability is barred under the “exclusive remedy” rule, identifying non-employer liability is key.
Cost Drivers
The cost of manufacturing injuries is driven by severity, long-term disability, equipment downtime and employer liability. For example:
- Major injuries like amputations, spinal cord damage, or toxic exposure incur high medical, rehabilitation and lost-wage costs.
- Even “simple” injuries can become complex if delayed reporting or improper treatment occurs.
- Manufacturing parks may also face increased insurance premiums, OSHA fines, regulatory investigations and reputation damage when safety lapses get publicised.
What Injured Workers & Employers Should Know
Shelving aside the production numbers, the human and business costs are real. Employers who invest in safety training, machine maintenance and hazard-identification tend to minimise liability. On the worker side, early reporting and proper documentation are critical.
Personal injury lawyers in South Carolina at Farmer & Morris Law note that “In manufacturing environments workers face risks that don’t look like a typical slip-and-fall - they involve crushers, chemicals and large machines. As a personal injury firm we often see that the difference between a well-handled claim and one that gets short-changed is how quickly evidence was preserved and how clearly third-party fault was identified.”
For injured workers:
- Report the accident immediately to your supervisor and employer.
- Seek medical treatment even if the injury seems modest - manufacturing injuries often mask underlying damage.
- Document the scene, your position, machine condition, any warnings, training records and take photos if possible.
- Ask if there were contractors on site or equipment from outside suppliers - those may open additional liability.
- Consult an attorney experienced in manufacturing-plant injuries to work out whether a third-party claim may apply.
For employers / manufacturing-park operators:
- Regularly train employees on machinery, chemicals, hazards and emergency procedures.
- Maintain written safety programs, inspections and logs.
- Segregate work zones, install machine guards, lock-out/tag-out procedures and ventilation for chemical exposures.
- After an incident, preserve machinery, videos, witness lists, and internal incident reports - early preservation helps claims and investigations.
- Review subcontractor supervision and equipment purchases carefully to reduce supplier-liability risk.
Final Thoughts
Manufacturing parks are essential to South Carolina’s economy, but they also carry elevated injury risk. The regulatory framework provides a no-fault floor of protection through workers’ compensation, yet the real-world cost and liability often go beyond that - especially when third-party faults or long-term disabilities come into play.
For workers, understanding their rights, documenting the injury promptly and exploring all avenues of recovery is crucial. For employers, rigorous safety discipline and early evidence-preservation not only protect workers but also shield business from unnecessary cost and legal exposure. In the high-stakes world of manufacturing, safety and legal awareness go hand in hand.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content