Inspection Detail

Inspection: 101194017 - Unico Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Augusta Area Office

Inspection Nr: 101194017

Report ID: 0111100

Date Opened: 08/18/1986

Site Address:
Unico Inc.
61 Emery Street
Sanford, ME 04073

Mailing Address:
, , 00000

Union Status: NonUnion

SIC:3089

NAICS: 0

Inspection Type: Accident

Scope: Partial

Advanced Notice: N

Ownership: Private

Safety/Health: Safety

Close Conference: 08/21/1986

Planning Guide: Safety-Manufacturing

Emphasis:

Case Closed: 10/24/1986

Related Activity
Type	Activity Nr	Safety	Health
Accident	360516769

Violation Summary
Violations/Penalties	Serious	Willful	Repeat	Other	Unclass	Total
Initial Violations	1					1
Current Violations	1					1
Initial Penalty	$560	$0	$0	$0	$0	$560
Current Penalty	$560	$0	$0	$0	$0	$560
FTA Penalty	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Violation Items
#	Citation ID	Citaton Type	Standard Cited	Issuance Date	Abatement Due Date	Current Penalty	Initial Penalty	FTA Penalty	Contest	Latest Event	Note
1.	01001	Serious	19100145 F03 III	08/25/1986	08/28/1986	$560	$560	$0		-

Investigation Summary

Investigation Nr: 14478044

Event: 08/15/1986

SKULL CRUSHED BY BLENDER

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS CLEANING A BLENDER USED TO MIX DRY POWDERS WITH OIL TO BE USED IN A PLASTICS EXTRUSION PROCESS. ANOTHER EMPLOYEE IN THE ROOM WAS CLEANING THE EXTRUDER. NOISE LEVELS IN THE ROOM WERE LIMITED TO THE SOUNDS OF COMPRESSED AIR BEING RELEASED. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS OBSERVED CLEANING THE BLENDER AT ABOUT 5:45 PM BY THE ASSISTANT FOREMAN. NO OTHER EMPLOYEE HAD A CLEAR VIEW OF EMPLOYEE #1. NO ONE HEARD ANY SOUNDS OF DISTRESS FROM HIM. HE WAS DISCOVERED, DEAD, IN THE BLENDER AT ABOUT 6 PM. THERE WAS NO LOCK-OUT PROGRAM IN EFFECT AT THE WORKPLACE. THERE WERE SOME SAFETY FEATURES IN THE BLENDER SYSTEM WHICH DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. A MICRO SWITCH WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO DETECT THE ABSENCE OF COVERS ON THE BLENDER FAILED TO WORK WHEN TESTED. THE START/STOP SWITCH WAS EQUIPPED WITH A STOP BUTTON HOLD-DOWN. THE BLENDER COULD STILL BE OPERATED IN A "JOG" MODE WITH THE STOP BUTTON DEPRESSED. THE BLENDER FUNCTION SWITCH, WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE BLENDER FROM TURNING WHEN IT WAS IN THE NEUTRAL POSITON, WAS FOUND IN THE REVERSE SETTING. IT APPEARS THAT WHILE BENT OVER INTO THE BLENDER, EMPLOYEE #1 ACCIDENTLY ACTIVATED IT, CRUSHING HIS SKULL.

Keywords: CLEANING, LOCKOUT, CRUSHED, SKULL

Investigated Inspection
#	Inspection	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	101194017			Fatality	Fracture	Occupation not reported

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