Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for Oregon: Worker Killed when Jacket Pocket Activated Machinery.

摘要

On February 23, 2006, a 63-year-old shift supervisor at a food-processing plant, working as a machine operator, was killed while operating a custom-built tote-dumping machine. The supervisor activated the tote dump to raise and tilt a large box (tote) of frozen french fries to empty into a hopper. After emptying the tote, the supervisor leaned forward over the edge of the hopper, apparently to shake the plastic liner to dislodge remaining product, or retrieve a box liner that had fallen inside the hopper. As he leaned into the hopper, the supervisors right jacket pocket caught the end of the tote-dump control lever and pushed it downward, causing the dump arm to descend. He was struck on the back and crushed against the hopper. A coworker witnessed the incident and responded to raise the dump arm. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Cause of death: Multiple traumatic injuries. Recommendations: (1) Never place your hands or body in the operating areas of a machine without first shutting down the machine completely and locking out all forms of hazardous energy; (2) Machine activation mechanisms should be guarded to prevent unintended startup. Guarding should also restrict access to all moving, shear, and pinch-point areas on machinery; (3) Employers should develop a comprehensive hazardous energy program that includes machine-specific lockout procedures; (4) Employers should conduct regular hazard surveys of the workplace, and a job safety analysis of each job to correct unsafe work practices; (5) Employers should investigate on-the-job injuries and review work procedures in order to correct hazards and prevent similar incidents.