The Aluminium Plant Safety Blog acknowledges that some incidents
occur random without warning for a variety of reasons. From machinery
breakdowns, to incidents results from a coworkers actions. Unfortunately, there
are many incidents that occur because of false safety beliefs. False safety
beliefs can begin when a lack of knowledge transforms into a habit or a
practice. Overtime those practices are assumed to be safe. It is only after an
incident resulting in an injury or death that the practice is found to actually
be a hazard. Here is a recent story:
An
investigation by OSHA into a work related injury at Midwest USA based manufacturing
company revealed that the employer allowed a computer numerical controlled
lathe to operate with its safety interlocks bypassed. Those interlocks prevent
workers from coming in contact with moving machine parts.
As an
employee hand-polished a 40-inch long metal cylinder, the 36-year-old lathe
operator became entangled in the machine’s operating spindle and suffered
injuries that led to his death two days later.
The
U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited
the company for one willful, and one serious violation of machine safety
standards, as a result of the worker’s death during the week of March 15, 2016.
The deceased worker had employed the man for two years.
“All
too often, OSHA finds employers are complacent with machine safety features and
bypass them to speed production,” said the area director of OSHA’s office.
“This worker’s tragic death was preventable. The (company) must re-evaluate its
overall safety and health management system, including their machine safety
programs and procedures to ensure they are effective.”
OSHA’s
inspection found the lathe’s door that provided guarding, was open exposing the
worker to the machines rotating parts. Unrelated to the incident, agency
inspectors found that the company also failed to follow proper procedures to
fully power down equipment to prevent sudden movement or starts.
OSHA
has fined the company €110,000.
The Aluminium Plant Safety Blog offers our sincere condolences to
the deceased worker’s family, friends, and coworkers. The pain of loosing a
loved one in a workplace incident is unbearable and unending. We hope overtime that
the family will remember how the worker lived and not how he passed away.
This incident can be a used a clear example of what can go horribly
wrong if you bypass safety mechanisms. The APSB has posted incidents in similar
nature. Each time the safety mechanisms are bypassed. We stress that
engineering controls need to address to prevent this from occurring.
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