Inspection Detail

Inspection: 101357275 - Passons Specialized Services, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Jacksonville Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employees #1 and #2 and three coworkers were completing the installation of a screen on the roller of a small decker (pulper). The small decker was shut down and locked out, but the adjacent large decker (pulper), separated from the small decker by a catwalk, was still in operation. Employee #1 was on the catwalk and Employee #2 and the coworkers were on the roller of the small decker using an ultrasonic welder to install a face wire strip. The welder had "tripped out" and Employee #1 was trying to locate the problem on its base unit, which had been placed atop one of the fiberglass splash covers of the (still operating) large decker. Witness' statements vary: Either Employee #2 got up from the top of the small decker roller, lost his balance as he came down to the catwalk, and stumbled into Employee #1; or Employee #2 was already on the catwalk beside Employee #1 and both were leaning on the splash cover that had the welding basic unit on it. The cover gave way, bending downward far enough for the bottom edge to slip off the sill and fall open. Employees #1 and #2 fell into the large decker. Employee #1 was crushed and mangled to death by the decker's shredder bar. Employee #2 was pulled out and did not require hospitalization.

Keywords: WORK RULES, LOST BALANCE, CONSTRUCTION, LOCKOUT, CRUSHED, FALL, FALL PROTECTION