87 year old worker dies.....

 

On the safety presentations we give we will show a ladder. Explaining that no matter where a worker is on the that ladder in terms of their career at the workplace. From the new hire to the ceo. If any worker fails to follow their training, skip steps, and/or make assumptions an incident resulting in their injury or death may result. Over the past decade we have reported on newly hired workers and even CEO being involved in an incident. Sadly, we never reported on the following:

Fatal accident at work in the (town name omitted) area. An 87-year-old man, (name omitted) was crushed by a machine inside the company he owned and CEO. It happened one evening during the week of November 28, 2021, around 6 pm in (area name omitted). From what the carabinieri of (local town) have reconstructed, the man was hit by a machine used to profile the aluminum that was raised from the ground and suddenly it detached. The chains that held the instrument gave way for reasons yet to be ascertained.

We offer our sincere condolences to the deceased worker’s family, friends, and coworkers. Sadly, many of the deceased individual’s family were his coworkers. I pray for all the workers at this manufacturing plant that overtime they remember the owner as how he lived and not how he died.

When we talk to workers about safety one common photo/illustration we will show is a ladder. We explain that ladder to us means that no matter where you are at in your career at that workplace. From the entry level worker, to the CEO. If you fail to follow your training, skip steps, and/or make an assumption an incident resulting in an injury or fatality. We have reported on incidents involving newly hired workers to even a CEO. We never reported on an owner being involved in an incident.

From the multiple news reports it appears the worker was operating a forklift and raising a large block of aluminum (several meters high) when the lifting chains gave way. It is unknown if the issue regarding the chains was that one of the links broke or if the chain came undone. Regardless, the deceased worker was in close proximity and was hit with the falling block. This incident highlights the hazard of lifting items and the need to always be away from the lift and have an exit route. Exit routes are difficult for workers to remember. We tell workers that if they have to fall back, or run away. If one cannot flee or fall back away from the danger. Then the procedure and/or task has to be halted to review all safety mechanisms and any engineering controls.

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