The High Cost of Being a Heavy Equipment Operator and Social Security Disability Benefits

The cost of being a heavy equipment operator on your body is insurmountable. Simply stating that being a heavy equipment operator is hard on your body does not even begin to describe the effects your body feels after operating a piece of heavy equipment for years. Heavy equipment operators must focus on the jobs they are performing in demanding environments surrounded by loud noise and they must do so while adhering to strict safety regulations. This is without a doubt one of the most physically and mentally strenuous jobs in the national economy and adherence to safety regulations does not mean an operator will not suffer injuries.

Injuries and Potential Disabling Conditions of Heavy Equipment Operators

A career heavy equipment operator often suffers injuries over time that result in the inability to work before retirement.  While heavy equipment operators spend a lot of the work day in the cab the injuries that result from this are wide ranging. Most often operators suffer musculoskeletal injuries due to the controls vibrating constantly during operation of both hand and foot controlled components, all while the machine is tossing the operator around the cab. After a career of operating one of these machines, operators often experience numbness in their hand that makes even holding a glass of water difficult. Long term exposure to the fumes, exhaust, and dust from the equipment also causes respiratory and lung damage that makes breathing hard.  

Applying for SSD Benefits and Heavy Equipment Operators

Spending your career as a heavy equipment operator may result in the inability to continue to operate the machines you once operated when you were younger. Due to the very specific skill operators have, their age, education, and other vocational factors, many career operators cannot train for a new career. If you or your loved one was a career heavy equipment operator and has suffered long term injuries from the daily grind of operating a piece of machinery applying for Social Security Disability benefits is an avenue you should explore.