Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120207345 - Sierra Pacific Industries

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

On October 14, 2009, an employee was working as a millwright in a lumber mill. The stacker machine was at the end of the operation in the A lumber mill. Lumber, 1-in. by 4-in. by 6-ft to 4-in. by 12-in. by 26-ft, in various sizes came down the process line and ended at the lumber stacker. Here lumber was moved by a large mechanical arm or fork unto a unit where it was then unitized and taken to storage. The mechanical arm was not working properly and the lumber was piling up and not being stacked. The operator noticed the problem, deenergized, locked out the stacker, and called for help from the millwright crew, maintenance and started to look for the problem. Operator #1 removed his lock from the controls and left the operator station. The operator had left his station and was on the ground in front of the stacker when the millwrights arrived. Another machine operator had come to the stacker to assist. Operator #2 was at the controls, the employee, Millwright #1, went into the machine to the right and below the operator platform, 4-ft high. Operator #1 and Millwright #2 were standing outside of the stacking machine; Operator #2 was at the controls. While looking down-stream, below and with his back to the operator, 5-6 feet away, the employee motioned to Operator #2 to start the stacker. The Stacker was operated and when the mechanical arm moving the stacker forks moved, it struck and pinched the employee's head between a structural steel vertical member of the machine and the energized mechanical arm. The employee was seriously injured with a skull fracture, broken jaw and suffered a heart attack as a result. He was hospitalized for 35 days with serious injuries.

Keywords: FRACTURE, HEAD, HEART ATTACK, PINNED, CAUGHT BETWEEN, LUMBER, STRUCK BY