Due to our
travel schedule we have a backlog of stories that have not been posted. We feel
it would be a disservice to the injured and dead if we did not post them. Our
number 1 goal is that by bringing awareness to these incident we can hopefully
prevent recurrence.
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 1.5 meter long aluminium cylinder, 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 losing 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 this matter to prevent this from ever occurring.
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