Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: CRUSHING

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina: The employer did not furnish each of his employees conditions of employment and a place of employment free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to crushing injuries: a)stacker: on or about 9/13/01, the following condition existed: an employee working at the stacker, placing stickers on the boards after the forks of the stacker lowered them into position, began straightening the boards and stickers that were placed incorrectly, and moved to a position behind the stack of boards and in the area of the fork drive mechanism, where his head was trapped by one of the forks after the stacker operator actuated the fork mechanism without checking if the area was clear. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable means of abatement would be to train employees on proper equipment operation, emphasizing proper safety procedures and the necessity to ensure that other workers are correctly positioned before actuating any machinery.