Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310778154 - Sherwin-Williams Company

Inspection Information - Office: Wichita Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:00 a.m. on July 1, 2007, Employee #1, a production supervisor, was found by Coworker #1, a maintenance mechanic, caught between a stationary metal control panel and the metal "rake" of a Litton/von Gal depalletizer machine (Model Number BD 990 LH 4556). Employee #1's torso was pinned between the control panel and the rake. Pallets of empty one gallon paint cans, stacked in layers which are separated by sheets of chipboard, are fed into the elevator from the lower level. The pallets are raised up to the upper level of the depalletizer, and a layer of cans at a time is swept off the pallet by the rake and onto a conveyor, which transports and funnels the cans onto a single file conveyor, which takes the cans to the label and fill line. The rake automatically sweeps the top layer of cans off the pallet, when an electronic sensor signals that the previous cans have traveled past a certain point on the conveyor. Prior to the accident, Employee #1 had been seen on the upper level catwalk of the depalletizer by Coworker #2, the depalletizer operator. Coworker #2 stated that he had asked Employee #1 what he was doing, and Employee #1 said he was "just watching." It is believed that Employee #1 went to check on a jam or other problem with the cans getting to the label and fill line. It is believed that Employee #1 leaned/reached into the area between the control panel and the rake, and, when the rake automatically cycled to sweep another layer of cans onto the conveyor, he was caught between the control panel and the rake. When Employee #1 was found by Coworker #1, he was non responsive. Coworker #1 called for help from coworkers, and removed Employee #1 from the machine and began CPR. EMS responded in approximately 2 minutes. Employee #1 was pronounced dead at the scene.

Keywords: CHEST, ASPHYXIATED, PINNED, CAUGHT BETWEEN