"Employee Suffers Broken Arm When Caught in Machine...."

On a recent plant visit we mentioned the numerous hazards associated with maintenance departments. One maintenance worker asked if we knew of any recent incidents involving maintenance workers. We wanted to laugh and cry. We told the worker we know of numerous recent fatalities involving workers in his same job. As well as we know of numerous incidents involving injuries, including but limited to amputations. The maintenance worker who asked the question realized then at that moment that his job was more dangerous than he thought. Here is a recent incident involving a maintenance worker that will be used by us to educate the thousands of workers we talk to on an annual basis. Why? Because we do not want any worker to ever get hurt on the job. Talking about past incidents is a valuable tool that companies can use to educate their workers about the importance of always follow your training:

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a manufacturing company after an employee suffered a broken arm while servicing a machine at one of its facilities. The company faces proposed penalties of over $100,000 for one repeat and three serious safety violations.

OSHA’s investigation found the aluminum can manufacturer failed to lockout the machine that caused the employee’s injury. The Agency cited the company for its failure to train employees on energy control procedures, perform periodic inspections of energy control procedures, and guard the machine’s pinch point. OSHA cited the manufacturing company for similar violations at another of its plants in 2015.

“Employers are required to train their employees on proper lockout/tag out procedures to prevent the release of stored energy or unexpected startup of equipment,” said OSHA Area Director.

OSHA offers compliance assistance resources on lockout-tagout hazards on OSHA’s Control of Hazardous Energy page and the interactive eTool. It can be found here.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

We pray that the worker recovered fully from his injuries. We have posted incidents in the past where maintenance workers got a limb caught in a machine resulting in the onsite amputation to extract the worker.

The Aluminium Times Magazine had an article about lock out tag out or safe isolation. It can be downloaded here.

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