A Shredder Doesn't Know The Difference

How Much of YOU Can a Shredder Shred, If a Shredder is Set to Shred?
December 2006
With a headline like that, you know this story is going to be.... well... hard to read. Plastic, wood, an arm here, a leg there... the shredder in this story doesn't really know the difference. Turn it on.. it shreds, and shreds. The horrific injuries suffered by a shredder operator earlier this year are a stark reminder to employers and employees alike, that workplace health and safety must be taken seriously. This accident happened to a guy who had done the same thing over and over (albeit, the wrong thing), for a long time.. a routine that he falsely believed was not going to hurt him. Sadly, it did. It's a safe bet that this machine operator no longer believes, "It Can't Happen To Me".

Company X employee Christopher X had his legs and an arm amputated after he was dragged into the cutting discs of the company’s green waste shredder. The company was fined and ordered to pay reparations after being convicted and sentenced for failing to take all practicable steps to ensure that Mr X was not exposed to hazards arising out of the operation of the shredder.

A service manager for the company described the machine as “a disaster waiting to happen”.
There was insufficient guarding to ensure operators could not access the dangerous parts of the machine while it was operating. This was exacerbated by the fact that it was often necessary for operators to enter the hopper of the shredder to unjam the cutting discs.

While attempting to clear a machine jam, the man got his foot caught in the rotating cutting discs, and was dragged into them. Fellow employees heard him calling for help and raised the alarm. The shredder was able to be stopped, however Mr X was trapped in the cutting discs for more than an hour. Two of his limbs had to be amputated in order to free him. (folks, read it again... they amputated is limbs in order to get him out!)

“While there were a number of methods which could be used for removing a blockage from the cutting discs, the injured employee thought that the only way to unblock a jam was to get into the hopper of the shredder while the cutting discs were going and try and move the blockage with his feet, which was clearly not a safe practice,” a company official said.

He advised the investigators that he would climb into the hopper of the shredder while the cutting discs were operating ‘about every other time’ he used it. With the best of intentions, Mr X appears to have adopted this extremely dangerous work method by default, as he could see no other way of unjamming the cutting discs. There were no documented guidelines or procedures for clearing blockages, which should have been a given for this type of operation.
(Now is a good time to remind readers that employees have the right to refuse to carry out work that they believe is inherently unsafe. Also, employers cannot always expect or assume that employees know the right or safe way to do the job. )

The company had identified issues with the guarding of the shredder as far back as June 2004, a company official admitted. The company’s health and safety manager had at that time raised concerns about access and guarding, and recommended modifications to make it safe for employees. None of the recommended modifications had been made as at the time of the accident. (herein lies the ultimate frustration of a safety professional... occasionally we do get it right).

Accident Causes:
1. The shredder was not adequately guarded to protect the employee from entering the hopper while it was operating.

2. There were no posted or written standard operating procedures on the proper operation of the equipment.

Safe Work Practices:
1. Guard your equipment properly, to prevent someone from placing body parts in front of moving equipment parts.
2. Develop, test and post standard operating procedures that identify the safety features of machinery.
3. Train employees on the proper use and shut down procedures of machinery.
4. Employees should speak up about procedures that are ultimately unsafe.
5. Repair safety features when called-out. Respond quickly to safety related work orders.
6. Never get complacent around equipment. Machines hurt people. It CAN happen to you.

Battery, 1; Person, 0

Battery vs. Person; Battery Wins

This could be re-titled, "two guys being stupid", but we'll stick with the sports analogy to be politically correct. The men were checking the battery and the battery won. Another accident that shouldn't have happened. But remember, they probably thought, "It Can't Happen To Me".

Here is the Executive Summary: Use extreme caution when charging batteries.

A worker suffered temporary hearing loss and acid burns to his face and eyes when a battery exploded as he was leaning over it to check the acid levels. He was not wearing any protective equipment. The forklift battery was being charged and was still connected to the battery charger. As the worker was checking the acid level, a co-worker turned on the forklift ignition and it is believed that this triggered the explosion. The negative charger cable clip was attached incorrectly to the negative post of the battery instead of to the chassis or engine, away from the battery. This particular battery charger was not equipped with a feature that allows the engine to be started while the battery is still attached to the charger.

So the guy didn't die. Small consolation. An acid burn to the face and eyes and a little deafness is bound to wreck his day, and that of the company safety record as well. Read some Safe Work Practices below, and feel free to comment on any others you can think of.

Safe work practices:

1. Wear the required Personal Protective Equipment.
2. Employers, ensure the adequate instruction of workers in the safe performance of their duties. (that's why we train, folks!)
3. Follow all manufacturer's instructions for batteries and chargers when charging batteries, or checking acid levels.
4. Make the 'negative' cable connection to the engine block or chassis of a vehicle — never to the battery.
5. Use proper eye and face protection when checking the battery fluid levels.
6. Provide facilities to immediately cleanse contaminated body areas where workers may be exposed to corrosive or other chemicals harmful to the eyes or skin. (look for the nearest eyewash and shower, in case the battery wins again).

Domino Effect: From Small Fire to Serious Burns

This story is a perfect case-study for so many safety practices:
1) The need for hot work permits, 2) Safe welding practices, 3) Fire safety, 4) Preventative maintenance, 5) Lock Out Tag Out programs, 6) Common sense (saving property at the cost of personal safety) to name a few.

This is how accidents happen. While reading this sad story, watch the domino effect happen right before your eyes; from a small fire to an employee with serious burns all over his body.

It's safe to assume that this employee didn't come to work that day, expecting to leave with burns over most of his body. This one didn't have to happen...

Worker’s clothing catches fire, causing serious burns

A small fire broke out under a pallet stacker while a worker was welding on the stacker.

The fire burned hoses in the stacker’s hydraulic system, resulting in loss of pressure in the system.

The loss of pressure caused the stacker deck to fall and the falling deck caused hydraulic oil to spray from the system.

The oil sprayed onto the fire and ignited. As the worker attempted to save the welding equipment from the fire, his clothing ignited. Ultimately the worker sustained serious burns to much of his body.

I'm thinking that this poor soul and his co-workers that bore witness to this now believe that in fact, It Can Happen To Me.

The accident investigation found the causes of the accident were:
1. The pallet stacker was not locked out

2. A Hot Work Permit was pencil whipped, and not properly initiated
3. A suitable fire extinguisher was not available where the welding was being done
4. Fuel for the initial fire was likely refuse, spills, and waste materials that had been allowed to accumulate under the pallet stacker
5. The worker was not wearing flame-resistant clothing

Safe work practices:
Workers (and employers) must:
1. Properly complete a Hot Work Permit where and when necessary, ensuring that a f/e is available if a fire breaks out.

2. Ensure machinery or equipment is properly shut down and locked out for maintenance
3. Ensure that refuse, spills, and waste material do not accumulate at the workplace
4. Ensure that workers wear flame-resistant clothing when welding

Truck vs. Pedestrian

Again this week, we read about two more senseless deaths where people were "just doing their job" when they were killed. "I'm just pouring concrete, It Can't Happen To Me." "I'm just sorting mail, It Can't Happen To Me." Those of you in the bakery business might have said at one time or another, "I'm just baking bread, It Can't Happen To Me".... in the food business, "I'm just cleaning the fryer, It Can't Happen To Me"... construction business, "I'm just framing a wall, It Can't Happen To Me". You get the idea. It can and it does happen to well-intentioned, hard working people. Don't let the absence of details in the story below undermine the real tragedy of loss of life.

Accident kills postal worker
A 58-year-old U.S. Postal Service employee died last night after the driver of a tractor-trailer backed into him at a loading dock of a mail distribution facility police said. The accident was one of two serious accidents involving a pedestrian occurring within a few minutes in different parts of the city.

Read about the second one below.

Man Killed Pouring Concrete
A construction worker is killed. The man killed was part of the crew pouring concrete for the new highway being built. Police say he was standing behind a dump truck that was backing up, and the driver didn't see him. The worker died at the scene.

Human TOAST.

Electrocuted While Plugging In A Toaster!!

I think we all have wondered- if even once- "how will it happen to me.... how will I die?" We fantasize about a quiet, peaceful passing, but none of us really know. I wonder how many think, "maybe I'll get it while plugging in this appliance"? The following tragedy left no less than two victims; one electrocuted to death, one just electrocuted. While reading, try to imagine the 7 or 8 minutes as they unfolded. Put yourself in the position of the employees who were there, watching and participating in the tragedy. Plugging in a toaster. How benign.
How many times a day do you, and your employees, conduct such routines? At the end of this story, the causes are identified. Simple loose wiring. Employee fatigue. Engineering controls. Preventable? Accidents always are.

An 18-year-old employee was electrocuted while plugging a portable electric toaster into a 110 volt/20 amp receptacle.

Synopsis of Events
At the end of the third shift, four employees were preparing their facility for the start-up of the morning shift. The routine for clean-up included moving portable equipment, sweeping and damp mopping. This had nearly been completed and the employees were preparing to leave. Three of the employees were finished and were waiting for the fourth. Although not an official policy, workers often plugged the equipment back in so that it was ready for the morning shift. After damp mopping the floor approximately five to ten minutes earlier, the victim was in the process of plugging the toaster into a floor outlet when he received what resulted in a fatal shock.

The victim was found with one hand on the plug, the other hand wrapped around the receptacle box and with his face on top of the outlet. He was still in contact with the current and convulsing when found. An employee attempted to take his pulse but was shocked. Another employee then went to the breaker box and attempted to open the breaker for that circuit. The electric current was turned off after the victim had been in contact with it for approximately three to eight minutes. The employee checked for a pulse again and found none. The victim died.

Later that morning two different electricians checked and evaluated the circuits in the outlet. Both electricians concluded that the voltages of the circuits were correct, no grounds or shorts were found, and no broken insulation was observed. They did conclude that two of the 120v receptacles were worn and loose, and the 120v plug of the portable toaster had a crack. These receptacles and plug were replaced.

General Conclusions and Recommendations
While holding the plug, the victim's right hand slipped forward to make contact through the index finger to the energized prong. With his left hand holding the spring-loaded receptacle cover open, a current path through the arms, chest and heart would be established from energized prong to ground. Numerous factors contributed to the occurrence of this fatal accident. Some of these factors include:
1. The location of the receptacle outlet: By being on the floor, it restricted vision of and access to receptable(s) and increased exposure to water from mopping.
2. The design of the receptacle outlet: With spring-loaded cover caps mounted above rather than below the receptacles, a two-handed operation is required for insertion or removal of the plug.
3. The design of the 110v receptacle: Direct observation showed that the plug's prongs became energized before the plug had been completely inserted and twisted (a gap of 3/8" existed).
4. The design of the plug: No barrier (sleeve or flange) enclosed the prongs in order to prevent unintentional human contact.
5. The absence of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter Breaker(s) (GFCI): During the site survey, no GFCIs for the electrical system could be found. If a GFCI had been on the circuit used for the portable toaster, it would have sensed the flow of current through the victim's body and interrupted the circuit before sufficient current passed to cause physical damage to the body.
6. Recent mopping of the floor: Water present on the floor and possibly the receptacle outlet may have increased the possibility of the electric current grounding through the victim's body.
7. Action of the victim: Being that the incident occurred early in the morning and at the end of the shift, possible fatigue and/or hurriedness of victim may have contributed to his right hand slipping and making contact with the energized prong.

The elimination of one or more of these factors may have prevented this electrocution. Of all the possible prevention strategies, the installation of GFCI's probably represents an easy and most comprehensive approach.

EMPLOYEE FALLS FROM A STANDARD LADDER

This sad series of events can demonstrate just how easy it is to have a catastrophic event occur from a seemingly benign event. These two people fell just 6 and 10 feet. Bam. Lights out.

Feel free to use this excerpt in any way you think might help get the point across to your employees that things like this can, and do, happen to good, honest, hard working people.

I wonder if they thought “this could never happen to me”.

Injured worker dies
Cleveland, OH -- A Willoughby man fell from a collapsed scaffold at XXXX Inc. in Winsburg and died Saturday at Akron City Hospital. Frank XXXX , 36 years old, suffered a severe head injury when he fell about six feet. The Cleveland office of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.

Plant supervisor dies after 10-foot fall from catwalk
NORTH ANSON, ME -- The production manager at XXXX Inc. fell to his death Wednesday while attempting to dislodge a jam in a conveyor belt, according to a Somerset County deputy sheriff. Monte XXXX, 53 years old, died from a head injury after falling onto a concrete floor about 10 feet below. The 12:30 p.m. accident was witnessed by a number of employees, said Deputy Gene Cole.

Sometimes it is the back story that is most interesting. This accident happened in the middle of the day, undoubtedly during a busy shift. It was reportedly witnessed by a number of employees. Imagine for a moment, being a witness to this event. If you are a supervisor or manager, imagine having to manage the immediate and post trauma of this event. A 6' fall, a 10' fall, both seem harmless enough. Truth is, most deaths from a fall occur from same-level falls 15' or lower.

EYE IMPALEMENT

This is not an urban legend... it really happened.
A man suffered an industrial accident by working too high and unstabilized on a simple 6' ladder. How many ladders, how many times do your employees climb a ladder each week... think you ever have any close calls?? Yah, I'll betcha do... This one is a graphic example of what could happen to you or one of your valuable employees.

A worker survived an accident that poked an 18-inch-long drill bit through one eye and out the side of his skull. (Imagine a standard ruler; that’s only 12 inches). Although we dread the gory industrial accidents that leave their victims dead or result in the loss of a limb (or more), we can learn from their misfortune. The accident took place in Truckee California when a construction worker, landed face-first on a large drill bit- after falling from an unstable ladder. XXXX was working in Truckee, standing atop a six-foot ladder while drilling over his head, when he gave the drill an extra push to bore a hole. As he felt the ladder begin to wobble out from under him, he tried tossing his power drill aside before falling to the ground. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to throw the drill far enough away, and he landed upon it face-first. The 18-inch-long, 1.5-inch diameter chip auger drill bit pierced XXXX’s right eye and exited through the side of his skull.

Read the description of the accident in his own words:
“By the time I was falling, and I let the drill go down, I was already on top of it. The drill was facing up but it was off. When the drill hit, it skewered me. I ran my hands up the drill bit, up to my eye, and put my other hand in the back of my head and felt it coming through the back of my head, and that's where pretty much the shock set in. The first thing I thought was 'Am I going to die?' I knew it was serious. I was scared. I didn't know if it was in my brain or not.”

Well, XXXX did not die. He recovered, but lost one eye and some neurological function in the accident. Oh, and a fractured skull that took months of recovery. Don’t let the fact that he worked in construction lull you into thinking this couldn’t happen to you or your company. Imagine how often your employees get up on a ladder, reaching to do a job. The worker’s story illustrated XXXX’s mistake: He allowed himself to get into a situation that made the ladder wobbly instead of only working on a stabilized ladder. Because it says he was standing “atop”, we can assume he was on the top rung which is No-Mans-Land. Never stand on the top rung or platform of a ladder. Even if he wasn’t on the top rung, if he had a coworker acting as a spotter or a stabilizer, perhaps the co-worker could have identified the danger he was in, and stopped him.

If, If, If… If only…
I’ll end with saying, “IF ONLY more employees would just do the right thing…” imagine that!

Be watchful of your employees while they work on ladders, elevated platforms and surfaces.

BLOOD, GUTS and GORE

Here are three accidents that happened last week, nationwide. The sensible among us endeavor to NEVER be the brunt of this kind of press. Three reminders that it can happen to us… so let’s take this to heart, and protect our employees against it. As you read this blog, periodically you should notice a striking similarity between these businesses and your own- and the processes you read about that cause these accidents, may undoubtedly mirror yours. We all need to demand our employees perform their jobs as they are trained. Companies spend good money on training and they are well within their rights to expect a return.

Worker loses arms in conveyor mishap
A Bridgeton man's arms were severed Monday morning in an industrial accident at XYZ processing plant, state police said. MR. XYZ, 27 years old, was treated at South Jersey Healthcare, Newcomb Hospital after the 7:15 a.m. accident at XYZ PLANT, said Trooper Jamie Ablett of the Port Norris state police barracks. He was transferred to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, where he was listed in critical condition. State police gave this account: MR XYZ was working as a maintenance man at the XYZ plant when he tried to free a frozen conveyor. After the machinery began moving, a piece of his clothing got caught in the gears and both of his arms were cut off, Ablett said.

Do you think anything like this could happen at your company? Does your company use conveyors? Do your employees neglect to Lockout as a shortcut? Can this happen to you? This is a wake up call!

Conveyor-accident victim
Mr. XYZ, 32, of Denver died Monday after a piece of his clothing got caught in a conveyor belt at XYZ store in Denver. He was strangled in the accident, police said.The accident is being investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Do you think he woke up that morning ready to die? How do you think his co-workers are dealing with his death? Do you think he was following all the correct procedures?

Worker killed by forklift at job
OHIO -- A Stoutsville man was killed when he became pinned between two large concrete septic tanks while at work at the XYZ Co. in Ohio. Mr. XYZ, 38, died shortly before 7 a.m., according to Fairfield County Sheriff Dave Phalen. "He was moving a concrete septic tank with a forklift to set next to another septic tank. He apparently had gotten off of it to readjust several two-by-fours to set it up off the ground," Phalen said. "He had left the forklift in neutral. Because it was also on a slight incline, the forklift rolled forward and pinned him between the two large concrete septic tanks."

Not to speak ill of the dead, but this brainiac left his lift unattended without the parking brake set, and while he was on an incline, decided to get in front of the forks. Applying his training might have saved his life.

GET SOME REST!


How many of us have employees that have to work all night long? Some make it look easy and some complain about it, but all have challenges and opportunities because of it. Every job and every shift has its challenges.. listed here are a few opportunities for our graveyard employees.

The number of workers working the graveyard shift - between midnight and 8:00 am - is on the rise. The next time you run off to work in the morning to pick up that bagel, remember the person who was up all night so that you could have your morning meal. While many work the graveyard shift out of convenience, such as to accommodate family needs, it is not without its challenges. According to this Newsday article, the graveyard shift is often not as easy as we day workers might conclude:
1. The divorce rate for night-shift workers is as much as six times higher than the rest of the population.
2. Late shift work often leaves children without chaperones as children are often unsupervised by a sleeping parent.
3. Even if night workers do get sufficient sleep, their sleep is of less quality than those of us who sleep at night. Because of our natural circadian rhythms, our body expects to sleep at night. When we reverse it, we may sleep, but not as deeply.
4. Sleep apnea is twice as prevalent among night shift workers than the general population
5. Night workers are 20% more likely to suffer a severe accident at work.
6. 24 hours of sleep deprivation is equivalent to a blood alcohol level of .10. (I’ll bet you didn’t know that!)
7. Some studies show a higher rate of cancer, heart disease, and gastrointestinal disorders.

Study your company's incident rate, or accident rate for the third shift, and you might be surprised at the frequency in which accidents happen when your management team is home sleeping.