Inspection Detail

Inspection: 14637169 - Stubenberg Co Ltd

Inspection Information - Office: Hi-E-Honolulu

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1 HAD BEEN WORKING ON THE LONG CANE HAVESTER FOR ABOUT A WEEK DISSASSEMBLING THE BASE CUTTER AND HARVESTER CONVEYOR SYSTEM. HE HAD BEEN WORKING VERY WELL, WITHOUT MUCH SUPERVISION. HIS SUPERVISOR HAD INSTRUCTED HIM TO REMOVE THE HEADSHAFT SECTION FROM THE ELEVATING CONVEYOR OF THE HARVESTER'S CONVEYOR SYSTEM. THE ELEVATING CONVEYOR HAD BEEN LIFTED OFF THE HARVESTER MACHINE AND LAID ON THE FLOOR. THE EMPLOYEES ARE INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE ONLY WHAT THEY CAN AND REUSE PARTS SUCH AS THE HEADSHAFT SECTION AND THE ADJUSTABLE TAKE UP ARMS. THESE ARMS ARE CONNECTED TO A HYDRAULIC CYLINDER AT THE PIVOT POINT (ONE CYLINDER ON EACH SIDE). WITHOUT FIRST SECURING THE HEADSHAFT SECTION, EMPLOYEE #1 PROCEEDED TO REMOVE THE HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS. HE WAS STANDING AND WORKING UNDER THE CONVEYOR SYSTEM NEAR THE STOPPER BAR OF THE ELEVATING CONVEYOR. HE FIRST REMOVED THE RIGHT HYDRAULIC CYLINDER, WHICH WAS HELD BY TWO PINS, USING A DRIFT PUNCH AND BALL PEEN HAMMER. THE HEADSHAFT SECTION DID NOT MOVE. HE THOUGHT IT WOULD HOLD UP WITHOUT BEING PROPPED UP OR SECURED. WHEN HE REMOVED ONE OF THE PINS ON THE LEFT HYDRAULIC CYLINDER, THE HEADSHAFT SECTION, WHICH WAS MOUNTED AT THE PIVOT POINT, SWUNG DOWN, PINNING EMPLOYEE #1 AGAINST THE STOPPER BAR. THE MIDSECTION OF HIS BODY WAS BADLY CRUSHED. HE SUSTAINED MULTIPLE INJURIES. ONE KIDNEY HAD TO BE REMOVED. HIS SPLEEN AND LIVER WERE DAMAGED. HE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO HIS HIP AND BACK, BRUISED HIS RIBS AND SUFFERED A COLLAPSED COLON. HE WAS HOSPITALIZED.

Keywords: MAINTENANCE, SPLEEN, HARVESTER, BACK, CRUSHED, STRUCK BY, KIDNEY, FALLING OBJECT, HIP, CONTUSION