Sunday, December 5, 2021

"the operator attempted to remove... the machine was still running...."

The failure to follow training results in countless workers being injured and killed annually. Here is a recent example highlight what can go horribly wrong if a worker fails to follow their training.

 

A work accident took place one morning during the week of November 7, 2021 in France. An employee, aged 57, wearing all his safety equipment, was using a tube bender when he saw dust on a bar in production. In order to avoid scratching this aluminum tube, the operator attempted to remove the particle while the machine was still running. Unfortunately, the tip of the 50-year-old's glove was caught between the tube and the drive roller of the machine. Three of the employee's fingers were partially crushed and severed.

 

The firefighters, reinforced by the medical team from the (Mobile Emergency and Resuscitation Service) of (local town) medicalized the victim before directing her to the "SOS Main" clinic 118 kilometers away.

 

The gendarmes of the (local town) brigade went there and made the findings.

We pray that the injured worker’s fingers were able to be saved. If not, the fingers would be amputated and the worker will have a constant reminder on the incident that changed their lives.

When we look at our hands, we recall the tens of thousands of hands that we have shaked on our travels around the industry. On occasion we will shake a hand missing a finger or two or three. Everytime the worker will say to us “Mr. let me tell you how I lost my finger(s).” The workers stories all share one or more of the following issues same themes of failing to follow their training, skipping steps, and/or made an assumption.

This incident can be used to teach workers that quality is not more important than their safety.

Please comment.



 

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