Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125666966 - Simpson Redwood Co

Inspection Information - Office: Redding District Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1, an experienced operator of a unit wrap station at a sawmill, was training a new worker. He was operating the controls and banding the units, and the trainee was painting the company logo on the units. While the trainee went to the bathroom. Employee #1 banded a unit and then activated a control that enabled the conveyor to move the units automatically whenever the forklift removed one. He then remembered that the logo had not been painted on the unit he just finished. He either had to hit the emergency STOP, or paint it before the forklift moved the next unit. Because hitting the emergency STOP would require that it be reset at the center work station, approximately 25 ft away, Employee #1 decided to paint the unit without hitting the STOP button. While he was painting, the forklift removed a unit and the conveyor started. Employee #1's foot became caught between the unit and the conveyor and he was dragged by the conveyor to a point where there was no decking between the chains. He dropped down, fracturing his leg, ankle, and foot. The cause of the accident was Employee #1 getting on the conveyor when it was in automatic mode.

Keywords: FRACTURE, WORK RULES, CAUGHT BY, CONVEYOR, FALL, LOGGING, ANKLE, FOOT, LEG, MACHINE--MISC