"killed ...when a large aluminum coil fell"

 

The transporting of semi-finished and finished product within our plants occurs on a daily basis without notice. On occasion an incident occurs that highlights this common activity and the potential dangers associated with it. Here is a recent story:

A man was killed one evening during the week of August 20, 2020 in an accident at an aluminium mill in the United States.

The worker was killed Sunday when a large aluminum coil fell from a cart and pinned him underneath inside the plant. 

Details are sparse, but a call came in to 911 from the plant at around 10:46 p.m., according to local County Coroner.

“It wasn’t too long after that they contacted me,” he said.

Someone familiar with the incident but who wasn’t authorized to speak said that worker was moving the coil on a cart using a control box when the coil fell off and onto him and the panel.

Plant personnel had freed the worker before the county coroner arrived, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The (news paper) was unable to contact a company spokesman but the aluminium company’s director of human resources released a prepared statement.

“An (company name omitted) employee suffered a fatal accident while working at the company’s (location omitted) manufacturing facility,” the aluminium company’s director of human resources wrote. “We extend our deepest sympathies to the employee’s family, friends and colleagues and are working closely with local authorities to identify the cause of the accident… We temporarily ceased all operations at the impacted area and are making grief counseling available to our employees during this difficult time.”

An investigation into the incident is ongoing, and the state government safety agency emailed a statement: .

“The (State name omitted) is currently investigating a workplace fatality that occurred at (company name omitted and location omitted),” government safety officer wrote. “Investigators will work to identify the cause of the accident and any possible contributing factors. The inspection process will involve reviewing details of the accident, interviewing potential witnesses and employees, and determining if any safety or health standards were violated. Once all the facts have been gathered, a report will be submitted and citations will be issued if warranted. All (state name omitted) investigations must be completed within six months.”

The deceased worker was taken to the state medical examiner’s office in the state capital where an autopsy was performed. Results from that autopsy could take several weeks.

We offer our sincere condolences to the deceased worker’s family, friends, and coworkers. As we have offered countless times before. We pray that the worker’s family and friends will remember him as he lived and not as he died.

The news article above provides more information than we are normally used to. The articles states “worker was moving the coil on a cart using a control box when the coil fell off and onto him and the panel.” Though we have been to this plant, we cannot recall the coil transportation vehicles. Regardless, this incident can be used as a teaching tool. How? Workers should be asked if an item falls do they have an escape route? The hazard of falling loads is commonly taught when dealing with billet or slabs. That is why workers are instructed to walk far in front or behind a load when it is moving. There was one plant that ask the editors to visit and discuss working near suspended loads. A week before there was an incident where a huge rolling slab fell from a load.

We will update this post when further information is released.

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