Abstract: Employee #1 worked for a company that manufactured disposable surgical gowns. The manufacturing process included blowing a nonwoven polypropylene material onto a large bed similar to a conveyor (the web former). Employee #1 and the lead operator had just finished putting the melt blower unit on line. All the two employees had to do was monitor the operation. The lead operator said he was going to talk with the unwind operator. Employee #1 said to the lead operator that he saw some strings hanging from blower #2. Apparently, Employee #1 went to the back of blower #2, opened the door, and reached into the 62 in. long by 12 in. wide opening to pull the string-like material from the blower; this is a normal part of the operation. Employee #1 fell through the opening onto the web former, which was traveling at 700 ft per minute. Employee #1 was caught between the web former and compaction roller. He was crushed from the neck down and killed.