Inspection Detail

Inspection: 111815551 - Bay Mirror, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Oakland District Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1, who had been employed by Bay Mirror, Inc. for 1 1/2 years, leaned over the end of the mirror production roll line to brush off a piece of broken glass. This was not part of his or anyone's duties. This action placed him in the return path of a twin-armed robot mirror unloader conveyor. The arms follow a 90 degree arc of descent, then travel into 9 1/2 inch wide spaces in the end of the roll line, ending in a horizontal position, parallel to the roll line and floor. Employee #1 was struck in the back of the head and back, and pushed into the 9 1/2 inch space with the robot arm on top of him. He was pronounced dead of internal injuries at the hospital, although no pulse was achieved by emergency response personnel at the site. Employee #1 was actually inside the travel rails of the robot, according to management, when he leaned over. An emergency stop was pushed within 10 seconds. The employee's presence in the hazard area was not necessary to his assigned job, although the area was not guarded and there were no warning signs. A serious accident related violation of 4002(a) was cited.

Keywords: MAINTENANCE, ROBOT, WORK RULES, CRUSHED, POINT OF OPERATION, STRUCK BY, UNGUARDED, WARNING SIGN