"surgeons intervened and had to perform an amputation on the spot..."

The importance of safe isolation or lock out tag out cannot be repeated enough to your maintenance department at every opportunity. Here is a recent incident highlight this hazard.

An employee of an aluminium company, died one night during the first week of August 2018. Around 23:30 the worker found himself stuck between two gimbals on a production line (rolling mill). Major resources have been deployed, including a fire brigade roadside van. Two teams of surgeons intervened and had to perform an amputation on the spot. The victim was transported by helicopter to a nearby hospital. The electrician died shortly after. 

We offer our sincere condolences to the deceased worker’s family, friends, and coworkers. 

The news media article provides little information. We would expect that the worker believed that he properly performed the safe isolation prior to being near the machinery and then the machinery engaged. We tell maintenance personnel that if they are performing a function in a machine that is safe isolated they need to install a temporary device that if all of the precautions fail and the machine engages the temporary device that will prevent/minimize an incident from occurring. We like the use of overhead crane rail. Are they heavy? YES, but if a machine moves a small section of overhead crane rail placed in the correct spot may prevent an incident from occurring. The Aluminium Times Magazine had an article about this hazard. It can be downloaded here.

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