"aluminum factory worker died from being crushed by......"

The importance of proper operation of movable equipment in our plants is stressed everyday by plant managers and safety departments. Here is an example of what can go horribly wrong when an operator forgets their training.

Accordingly in Southeast Asia, at 9:00 am on the morning (January 2, 2020), (name omitted) drove a forklift truck carrying filter cloth running in the premises of (aluminium company). When going (around a bend), due to negligence, the forklift was tilted. As a result, (operator) was severely injured by the car (forklift).

Immediately after the accident, (the forklift operator) was taken to the emergency room at a nearby hospital. However, due to a serious injury, (forklift operator) died in the hospital at noon on the same day.

After (worker’s) death, the aluminium company- provided full support to take (deceased worker) to his hometown. At the same time, the Company has organized to mobilize all officials, employees and workers in the unit to donate to support the victims' families more than ($4000 USD).

Reportedly, the aluminium company is working with the authorities to pay the labor accident regime for (deceased worker).

We offer our sincere condolences to the deceased worker’s family, friends, and coworkers. We are thankful that the aluminium company was able to transport the workers body to his hometown immediately.

Every time we post an incident where a forklift topples over and the worker not wearing a seat belt falls out and the forklift lands on the operator. We think of a quote a safety manager once told a conference. The safety manager said “In my career I have never investigated a forklift operator fatality where the operator was wearing a seat belt.” As we look back upon the incidents we have posted on the Aluminium Plant Safety Blog. Each fatal incident the forklift operator was not wearing their seat belt.

The other information we find interesting in this horrific story was the amount of money sent to the deceased worker’s family. Our comments are not meant to demean the amount. But, we have asked workers this rhetorical question. If you die in this plant do you think the plant will pay your family a million USD? We then list the amount a worker’s life is worth around the world. We then ask if any amount of money is worth their life? In unison the workers shake their heads no. We acknowledge this line of discussion maybe callous, but it does get to the point.

Lastly, when you walk through a plant observe if the forklift operators are wearing a seat belt. Our on tours we have occasionally seen workers not wearing a seat belt. Each time we point out our observation to our host and ask that the moving equipment be stopped immediately so this issue can be addressed.

Our conversations with the forklift operators run the gamut of including but not limited to: 

• just filling in for the regular operator and did not think about, 
• complained that putting a seat belt on made their job more difficult, 
• did not know they needed to use it, etc. 
• Regardless, of the reason for not wearing the seat belt we tell the worker each and every time you operator a forklift the seat belt has to be worn.

Light Metal Age magazine had a recent article about this topic. It can be found here:

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