Inspection Detail

Inspection: 548598.015 - Soudan Metals Company Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Chicago South Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:00 a.m. on July 30, 2012, Employee #1 was assisting with the loading of material into Line Number 1 apparatus. Coworkers were rolling out coils of steel into Line Number 1 in the facility. Line Number 1 would level and stretch out rolled steel to produce steel plates of varying degrees of thickness. This process began with the roll of steel being placed onto a jack and raised into position. When the roll was position, two large cones are then hydraulically moved into place into both ends of the roll of steel. After the roll was in place and secured, strapping bands that hold the steel rolls for transport are then severed. Employee #1 entered between the roll of steel and the beginning of the line and then proceeded to cut two of the three strapping bands prior to the steel roll being secured by the hydraulic cones. When the second of three bands was cut, the third band failed and released the rolled steel. Employee #1 was struck and caught in between the roll of steel and the line itself. The roll of steel, which weighed approximately 4,000 pounds, pinned Employee #1 between the roll and the structure of Line Number 1, causing crushing injuries to his torso that killed him.

Keywords: Caught By, Crushing, Material Handling, Steel, Struck By