Inspection Detail

Inspection: 14904940 - Whites Timber Products Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Minnesota Department Of Labor And Industry

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WORKING ON THE DISCHARGE END OF THE CONVEYOR SYSTEM OF A PORTABLE SAWMILL. HE WAS REMOVING SLABWOOD AND STACKING IT FOR SUBSEQUENT REMOVAL AND SALE AS FIREWOOD. THE WORK AREA WAS APPROXIMATELY SIXTEEN FEET FROM THE SAWYERS CAB. THE DRIVE SHAFT IS DRIVEN BY A CUMMINGS DIESEL 250 ENGINE, OFFSET SYSTEM, WITH THE DRIVE HORIZONTAL TO THE CAB AND PERPENDICULAR TO THE CONVEYOR SYSTEM UPON WHICH THE EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING. FOR UNKNOWN REASONS, THE EMPLOYEE WALKED FROM HIS WORK AREA TOWARD THE CAB AND INTO THE 600 RPM DRIVE SHAFT. THE EMPLOYEE WAS CAUGHT AT THE AREA NEAR A SPROCKET ON THE REVOLVING SHAFT (THE SPROCKET WAS NOT IN USE AS A DRIVE SYSTEM). THE SHAFT WAS THIRTY SIX INCHES ABOVE THE GROUND. THE SHAFT TO CAB DIMENSIONS WERE NINETEEN AND ONE HALF INCHES. THERE WERE FIFTEEN AND ONE HALF INCHES FROM THE OUTSIDE TEETH AREA TO THE CAB. IT IS UNKNOWN IF THE AMPUTATION OF EMPLOYEE #1'S ARM WAS THE RESULT OF A UNGUARDED V-BELT AND PULLEY (SHAFT MOUNTED), LOCATED SEVENTEEN INCHES FROM THE SPROCKET, OR OF THE IMPACT OF HIS BODY AGAINST THE CAB AS IT WAS BEING DRAGGED AROUND BY THE REVOLVING SHAFT.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, GUARD, FOREARM, SHAFT, V-BELT, PULLEY, DRIVE SHAFT