UPDATE - "perished when trapped under a large door...."

 

Over the past decade we have reported on incidents covering every hazard. Many of the hazards are obvious. While others are mundane. They are hidden hazards that workers and companies are oblivious to. These hidden hazards are surprisingly quite visible and accessible to many workers, contractors, and visitors. If it only when all of the circumstances align that a tragedy unfolds. Here is one such hidden hazard.

 

A worker in an European company that manufacturers aluminium wheels, has died as a result of a work accident registered late this Friday night. As reported by staff sources, the middle-aged employee has perished when trapped under a large door that has collapsed. 

A colleague of the deceased has explained that the staff is "in 'shock'" as a result of the tragic event. During the weekend the plant, dedicated to the manufacture of aluminum wheels for the automotive industry, remains with a very small staff dedicated to maintenance. 

The company which is a large employer in the providence has two production plants. The incident occurred in the first of these two production centers. 

 

As reported by the provincial government , the emergency call to telephone 112 for the accident occurred at 11:50 p.m. on Friday and ambulances and members of the National Police have traveled to the site. The Department of the Economy has opened an investigation to clarify what happened, which is also being investigated by the police.

UPDATE

During a memorial service for the deceased worker. The following statement was made from a union official, "which occurred when a metal gate collapsed on the worker for causes yet to be determined".

 

We pray for the worker’s family, friends and coworkers on his sudden death. We acknowledge the unimaginable pain that his loved ones feels will never end. As described by survivors as a dull ache that never ceases. Maybe just maybe the loved ones will eventually remember the loved one for how he lived and not how he died. We purposely do not include the name of the deceased worker(s) in our posts. We do that so that the company name does not get easily exposed with a google search. New media reports have varied on what occurred in this incident. Some report that the entire door collapsed unexpectedly while the worker either walked under it or nearby. We have reported on incidents, always fatalities involving doors that either collapsed (e.g., furnace doors) or were closing (e.g., large truck doors).

 

On occasion companies will ask the editors of the Aluminium Plant Safety Blog to visit and tour their plant(s). During these visits we always ask to have seat and just observe. We observe the interaction of workers, contractors, and visitors with their surroundings. We always note workers walking under a truck door instead of using a nearby man door. Truck doors are hidden hazards. Truck doors were installed not for human movement but for the movement of vehicles. Workers are instructed never to use truck doors. Though we do not know where this incident occurred. We sadly assume it occurred in a truck or large door not meant for humans. We will update this incident when information is made known.

 

One suggestion: Observe your workers. Do they walk through the truck door or use the adjacent man door ?

 

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