Inspection Detail

Note: The following inspection has not been indicated as closed. OSHA citation items will be posted 30 (thirty) days after the employer receives the citation(s), except in cases of significant public interest. Posted citation items reflect any amendments to citations that are the result of a prompt settlement, which OSHA encourages. Employers and employee representatives will continue to receive copies of the citation(s) upon issuance.

Inspection: 1725801.015 - 76001 - Insulfab Plastics Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Sc Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation

Investigation Summary

At approximately 08:00 a.m. on February 1, 2024, an employee was working in the maintenance department of the plastics manufacturer when the department received a request to repair a Holzma Saw had a broken belt. Coworker #2 reported to Coworker #1, the saw department supervisor, for instructions. Coworker #1 informed Coworker #2 that a belt on the motor broke and was laying on the ground. Coworker #1 raised the motor approximately 3 to 5 inches from the ground, which was the maximum height, and hit the emergency stop button to keep the motor raised in that position. The employee left the facility to go purchase a new belt and returned with two new belts sometime between 10:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., right before lunch. Upon returning from lunch around 12:00 p.m., the employee and Coworker #2 headed back to the saw with the new belt. The employee and Coworker #2 were lying under the machine on their backs, trying to look underneath and behind the motor and see how the new belt would fit onto the motor. The motor was directly beneath an electrical cabinet. The employee and Coworker #2 were assessing the machine when Coworker #3 arrived and approached the electrical cabinet while looking at the machine operator manual. Coworker #3 saw a diagram in the manual and thought there may be an easier access point to install the belt from within the electrical cabinet. Coworker #3 saw that the electrical power switch was in the 'ON' position. In an attempt to open and access the electrical cabinet, Coworker #3 turned the power switch to 'OFF' while Coworker #2 and the employee were still underneath the motor. Coworker #2 noticed the motor was jerking and immediately moved to the side. Turning off the electrical switch caused the motor to travel back to its original position via gravity. When the motor travelled down, the employee was crushed. Employee died at approximately 2:54 p.m. on the scene from blunt head trauma, including a skull fractures face and scalp abrasions.

Keywords: Abrasion, Belt, Caught Between, Communication, Crushed, Electric Motor, Electric Switch, Electrical Cabinet, Emergency Stop, Energized, Engineering Controls, Face, Falling Object, Fracture, Head, Lack of Work Procedures, Lockout, Lockout/Tagout, Machine operator, Maintenance, Motor, Plastic Mfg, Repair, Saw, Scalp, Skull, Unsafe Position