Abstract: On December 22, 2000, Employee #1 was operating a slat-like conveyor at a sawmill where lumber is cut into 2-in. by 2-in. by 4-ft boards. The slat-like conveyor as called an unscrambler conveyor retrieves one board at a time from a deep pile chain conveyor, and straightens it. Then another conveyor transports the board to a trimming saw to shape the individual boards. On the unscrambler conveyor, a mounted infrared sensor monitors the height of the pile of boards in front of it and stops the deep pile chain conveyor when height of the pile breaks the plane of infrared beam of light. Employee #1 took temporary control of the conveyor operations to allow the unscrambler operator to have a break. When the operator returned, Employee #1 told him that the infrared sensor had been triggered. The operator went to the deep pile chain to unblock the infrared sensor. When her returned to the unscrambler conveyor control panel, the Employee #1 was no longer there. The operator assumed that Employee #1 had gone to relieve another operator, and started the unscrambler conveyor. The conveyor started, but quickly stopped. The chip-n-saw supervisor came to ask the operator why the line was shut down, and was told that the unscrambler conveyor was not working. When they went to look at the unscrambler conveyor, they discovered Employee #1 caught in the underside of the unscrambler conveyor. Employee #1 was caught in between the slats of the conveyor, and was crushed against the rotatory part of the machine. The compressive action inhibited his breathing and he died of asphyxia.