Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307903211 - Weyerhaeuser Company

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Department Of Labor - Raleigh

Investigation Summary

At approximately 3:45 a.m. on September 9, 2004, Employee #1, and a coworker, an operator of the Weyerhaeuser Lumber Business, were making the last run of 2 in. by 4 in. by 8 ft 2 in. lumber at the automatic stacker. The coworker was finishing the run, while Employee #1 began to pick up the sticks from the floor, which were placed between the layers of lumber. On the last layer, the coworker realized that the stacker hoist had a jam, when it came back up and did not drop all the way down as it was supposed to. The coworker followed the procedures, which he was trained to follow, while attempting to lower the rack to clear a jam. He left the rack in the down position, went down, and observed that there were two boards that broke. He was removing the broken boards, when another employee was passing by. She assisted the coworker in removing the boards that were hanging from the rack. There was a third board that was hung under the hoist rack and the floor, between the second and third roller. Another employee attempted to remove the board with another board, but was unsuccessful. Employee #1 was still picking up wood sticks around the stacker and locked out the stacker. Another employee departed the area and returned in a few minutes with a pick to remove the jammed board. Employee #1 and a coworker did not see another employee reaching the jammed board with the pick. Employee #1 had his back turned to the rack and did not observe another employee reaching to strike the board. The coworker saw another employee striking the board twice before the board became unjammed. The rack fell onto Employee #1, crushing him between the rack and the case rollers. Employee #1 was killed.

Keywords: BOARD, STACKER CRANE, STUCK, HOIST, JAMMED, CRUSHED, LUMBER, FALL, STRUCK BY