Abstract: At approximately 6:00 p.m. on June 20, 1995, Employee #1 and a coworker were nearly finished using a hammermill/fan system to shred recycled paper and to blow the shredded paper into a baler. The coworker left to shut off the lights and the baler. Employee #1 apparently climbed down into the almost 6 ft deep pit and opened the door in the duct between the hammermill and the 50 hp fan. Employees would commonly use a length of metal pipe to loosen clogs of paper in that duct. One end of the pipe apparently came in contact with the blades of the fan, which was still moving. This caused the pipe to move violently and strike Employee #1 at least one time in the head, fatally wounding him.