Inspection Detail

Inspection: 14972822 - Boren Clay Products Company

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Department Of Labor - Raleigh

Investigation Summary

AT APPROXIMATELY 8:15 AM ON MAY 27, 1985, EMPLOYEE #1 BECAME CAUGHT UNDER THE SETTING HEAD OF A BRICK LAYING LINE. THE LOCATION WAS PLANT #2, BOREN CLAY PRODUCTS COMPANY, 1410 FOREST ACRES CIRCLE, PLEASANT GARDEN, NORTH CAROLINA. NONE OF THE OTHER EMPLOYEES ACTUALLY SAW THE ACCIDENT. THE SETTING HEAD FUNCTIONS BY REMOVING BRICKS FROM THE SETTING TABLE AFTER THE BRICKS ARE FORMED AND CUT TO SIZE, PREPARING THEM TO BE PLACED IN THE KILN CAR. THE SETTING HEAD ROTATES 90% WITH EVERY OTHER COURSE. THE MACHINE WAS MADE BY THE PERNE AND LACY COMPANY. IT CAN PICK UP 320 BRICK WEIGHING 5 POUNDS APIECE. THE SETTING MACHINE OPERATOR NORMALLY WORKS ON ONE SIDE OF THE SETTER AND THE SETTING MACHINE HELPER WORKS ON THE OTHER. THEIR ASSIGNED TASK IS TO REMOVE DEFECTIVE BRICKS FROM THE TABLE AND TO STRAIGHTEN CROOKED ONES. THEY MUST HAVE ACCESS TO THIS AREA. (THE SETUP IS COMMON IN THIS INDUSTRY.) WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED EMPLOYEE #1 WAS FUNCTIONING AS THE LINE SUPERVISOR AND, AT THE SAME TIME, FILLING IN FOR THE SETTING MACHINE OPERATOR. THE SETTING MACHINE HELPER HAD BEEN SENT TO MOVE KILN CARS TO THE FRONT OF THE KILN. THE BRICK MACHINE OPERATOR, WHO HAD HIS BACK TURNED TO THE SETTING MACHINE, THOUGHT HE HEARD A SCREAM. HE TURNED AND NOTICED THAT THE SETTING HEAD WAS STUCK ALMOST ALL THE WAY DOWN. HE TURNED THE ENTIRE LINE OFF AND WENT TO ASK EMPLOYEE #1 WHAT WAS WRONG. HE DIDN'T SEE EMPLOYEE #1 ON THE PLATFORM, SO HE WENT DOWN TO FLOOR LEVEL. HE THEN SAW EMPLOYEE #1 UNDER THE SETTING HEAD. HE SENT FOR HELP, AND, WHEN HELP ARRIVED, LIFTED THE SETTING HEAD OFF EMPLOYEE #1. EMPLOYEE #1 DIED AT THE SCENE.

Keywords: CRUSHED, UNGUARDED, INATTENTION, MACHINE--MISC